"I had a meltdown on the Wednesday in 2019 because I thought I wasn't going to play well" - Lowry battling to stay on the edge

Shane Lowry of Ireland speaks to the media during a press conference prior to The 153rd Open Championship at Royal Portrush Golf Club on July 14, 2025 in Portrush, Northern Ireland. (Photo by Oisin Keniry/R&A/R&A via Getty Images)

Shane Lowry has been playing so well in the build-up to The Open, he jokes that he hopes he plays "sh*t" for the next two days to boost his chances of winning a second Claret Jug.

The 2109 champion has prepared by completing a grand tour of Ireland's best links course and feels he's ready for another tilt at the title.

But when it comes to the mental game, he believes he's at his best when he keeps complacency at bay and feel anxious and worried about his game.

He’s learned that the hard way after his frustrations boiled over at the PGA Championship and the recent US Open, when he missed both cuts.

"I've had a couple of episodes this year," Lowry said in his pre-championship press conference. "But you know, golf is hard at this level, and there have been times where, yes, I've not been at my best.

"But I feel like I'm pretty good at going out there and competing against the best in the world, week in, week out, to give myself the best shot."

He works with his coach, Neil Manchip, and mental coach, Dr Bob Rotella, to get himself mentally ready to compete.

But he admits that having some anxiousness about his game is what works best for him, and he's hoping he experiences those feelings again this week.

"Weeks like Oakmont, where I massively underperformed. I just don't feel like I was ready for what it was going to throw at me," Lowry admitted.

"Sometimes when everything is going really well, I get complacent and then all of a sudden, before I know it, I'm three over through five, and then you start to panic because you feel like you're going to do well.

"I feel like when things are not going well, it's when I'm at my best. Or when I don't feel like things are going well.

"I go back to 2019 here. I had a meltdown on the Wednesday because I thought I wasn't going to go out and play well and but that focuses me in a little bit more.

"So if I can keep my complacency away and my expectation down, that's when I'm at my best."

Asked the obvious follow-up question — "So how are you feeling?" — Lowry could only smile.

"I played great the last two days," he said with a broad grin. "That's not great. Obviously, I've had a great week. I've had a great week of practice.

"I just need to play sh*t for the next couple of days and I'll be alright!"

Joking aside, Lowry admitted that the memories of 2019 came flooding back when he travelled to Portrush a few weeks ago to check out the course.

But he's also aware that he must start from scratch this week.

"It doesn't give me any god given right to do anything special this week,” he said. “So I just need to get my head down on Thursday morning and get at it and see what happens."

The course is firmer and the rough thicker than in 2019, and while he won on x-under par back then, he's expecting a more challenging test this time around.

"The golf course I played this morning, I think it's perfect right now", he said. "It's ready for a great week of golf. Trying to judge the scoring, it's going to be difficult and play quite tough.

"It's amazing to be back. Obviously, there are a lot of memories, and thinking back to what I did, it's obviously very special.

"Walking down the 18th hole with a six-shot lead, I'm probably never going to do that again, so I'm not going to try and replicate that this week.

"I've prepared as well as I can for this tournament. I know I have.

"It's just up to me to stay on my own way on Thursday morning and go and get after it and see what happens."