Confident Lowry dreaming of becoming first Irish Masters champion — "I'd give anything to be that person"

Shane Lowry insists he's not in Augusta to make up the numbers and would "give anything" to become the first Irishman to win the Masters.

The Clara man arrives in Georgia in excellent form, and while he doesn't consider himself in the same league as favourites such as Scottie Scheffler, Wyndham Clark or Rory McIlroy, he knows if the stars align, he has the game to don that green jacket.

"Ah look, I think it's hard to look past the top players in the world," Lowry said, keen to lower expectations after four top 25s in a row at the Masters, including a career-best tie for third behind Scheffler in 2022.

"You know, am I in the next category? Possibly. But I'm certainly not here to make up the numbers. I'm here to compete, and that's what I do every week, and it's what I live for.

"I live for weeks like this, and it's the reason I get out of bed in the morning. So yeah, I'm very happy to be here and I look forward to the challenges ahead.

"But you know, if you start looking at Scottie Scheffler, Wyndham Clark and Rory McIlroy, it's hard to look past those players, but I'll do my best."

Form is key coming into the Masters and Lowry's has been excellent so far this season.

He also knows how to plot his way around the course and feels comfortable about knowing what shots to hit.

"A few years, even just coming here can be like a semi-intimidating place to come and play," he said ahead of his ninth appearance. "It is different to every tournament you play, so it took me a few years.

"I feel like I have got the grasp of it now. Will I play well this year? Who knows. But I certainly feel like my game is in decent shape and I feel I can go out there and play well this week."

As for winning, he's trying not to think about that right now but instead focussed on putting himself in position with 27 holes to go.

"There's a lot standing between that and me right now," he said. "I try not to think about things like that because, obviously, it would be a huge achievement.

"It's something that I've thought about a little bit over the last number of years and I'd give anything to be that person."

When he finished third in 2022, he was bitterly disappointed after his round, but like a stockbroker, he insists past results are no guarantee of future performance.

"Nobody remembers who finished third at the Masters," he said. "In 20 years' time, finishing third in the Masters doesn't get you back in those gates. First does, though, so that's the main goal."

He added: "I'm playing okay; there's no two ways of looking at it. I am playing nicely and am very happy with where my game is.

"But, like I said, there's no God-given right to compete and play well here. So you just have to do everything you think is right and go out there Thursday and give it everything.

"I'll go out there and give it everything I have from Thursday to Sunday and hope it's good enough."

Even then, Lowry believes lady luck will play her part.

"There are certain times out there during the week where you may be a yard away from making a birdie and you make double or could make double," he said.

"It's such fine margins, you need a bit of fortune on a week like this to play well.

"It's hard to explain to anybody sitting at home because you don't see the undulations, and you don't see the change of the slopes on the greens.

"Playing 13 today, I hit a shot that was less than a yard away from having 15 feet for eagle, and instead, I'm in the water. I know that can happen any week but this week more so."

He'd certainly take an Irish win right now, even if he knows McIlroy has the edge when it comes to power.

"Funny I was here last week and I wasn't playing with Rory," he said of the new tee at the second, which now points more at the right bunker.

"He was out at a different time. I asked him, 'Can you carry that bunker?" and he says Yeah, and I'm like f**king hell. I certainly can't.

"I remember there were a couple of times last year when I could carry that bunker, but I definitely can't this year."

As for that Irish win, he beamed: "Yeah, I have a 50-50 chance. I certainly hope if it's not him, it's me. Eh, or I hope if it's not me, it's him."