No hard feelings for Rock

Irish Open victim Robert Rock has no hard feelings over his sudden-death defeat to Shane Lowry.

The English ace heard cheers from the partisan Irish crowd  at Baltray when he missed putts in the play-off to claim the title or stay alive.

But he plans to congratulate Lowry at this week’s European Open after failing to get the chance to do it properly in the 18th green hysteria.

Rock said: “There were only two people walking around who wanted me to do well and the majority were for him, but that’s fine. I’d be daft to expect anything else.

“I knew straight from the first hole when I played with him on Saturday that he was a very tidy player and everybody was going to have their work cut out to beat him and that’s how it turned out.”

Rock was highly impressed with the way Lowry, 22, performed under massive pressure and backed his decision to turn pro this week.

He said: “I feel I could do it now but at 22 and in your first event as well, in your home country, that’s very impressive.

“From what I’ve seen he should do well but doing it every week as a pro is slightly different. There’ll be a lot of things that will be new to him but he’s probably travelled quite a bit on the amateur circuit.”

Rock has yet to win as a pro but has three second places to his credit this season alone and racked up €786,300, including €500,000 in Ireland.

He said: “I’m searching for a win but a friend of mine, Oliver Wilson, has had a much better career than me so far and has had many more seconds and he’s not won yet so you’re not owed anything.”