Lowry looking to jumpstart season in Canada

Shane Lowry is hoping to jumpstart his stalled season at the RBC Canadian Open and head to next week's US Open with a spring in his step.

The Offaly man joins Pádraig Harrington and Séamus Power at TPC Toronto, desperate for a result that Paul McGinley reckons he needs to bury the ghosts of Sunday disappointments this year.

Final-round mistakes cost the 2019 Open champion a chance to win the Dubai Invitational, the Cognizant Classic, and potentially the Masters.

But Lowry is motivated to put those behind him in Canada and win for the first time in front of his youngest daughter, Ivy.

"It's gotten a bit slow," Lowry said of his season so far. "I had a good start to the year, and I certainly need something to kind of jump start the rest of my year, and there wouldn't be a better week than this, so hopefully it happens this week.

"I've always loved coming up to Canada, you know. I think it's a great time of year to come here and get in a really good tournament week before the US Open as well. 

"I've played pretty well here over the years and remember having a little bit of a chance here coming down the last few holes last year, so hopefully I can do it again this year and give myself a chance."

His eldest, Iris, saw him win at Portrush, so he's keen now to lift a trophy for Ivy.

"They're here this week," Lowry said.  "At the Cognizant. I was probably most devastated for that reason, especially for my little one. She's never been there when I've won a tournament, so t's a big motivation of mine. 

"That's the reason I get up every morning, and they're here this week. I'm only a couple of miles down the road, so it'd be easy."

McGinley believes Lowry can be a factor at Shinnecock Hills and reckons a good result is all he needs to get back to his best.

"Shane's always a great links player, we know that," McGinley said in a teleconference to promote USA Sport's US Open coverage. 

"He's very good in the wind, but he has not shown much form since he had that finish in the Cognizant.

"I think that's affected him psychologically. He hasn't quite got back on the horse yet. But I think he will. 

"It's just a question of getting confidence through the validation of better results, but he's certainly going to be a factor in the style of conditions that we're going to have."

As for Harrington, Rory McIlroy and 46-year-old Graeme McDowell, McGinley was upbeat about their US Open hopes.

While McIlroy is not driving the ball well, McGinley reckons the wider fairways that await him at Shinnecock Hills could play into his hands.

"I think he was in the bottom 10 per cent of fairways hit at the PGA Championship, and still finished top 10, and second last [from the tee] at the Masters and won, so he's finding ways of doing it," McGinley said. 

"What he's proved over the last few years is he's much better than he's ever been at playing difficult golf courses. He used not to have the patience to be able to do that."

As for 54-year-old Harrington, who tied for 18th in the US PGA, McGinley reckons the veteran will relish the conditions if he's putting well.

"I walked nine holes with him at the PGA Championship, and I don't think I've ever seen him hit the ball as well, including when he was at his very best in winning majors," he said. 

"He'll love the fact that it's probably going to be a windy, firm, fast golf course.

"I don't know a whole lot about Graeme's game, as he's playing on LIV, but we know the style of player he is.

"Being from Portrush, he's going to love it. He's a very good links player, a good chipper and putter, and a great, great competitor. 

"So, who knows what the golfing gods have in store for him as he comes into the twilight of his career."

Meanwhile, Leona Maguire will bid to get back on track after her US Women's Open disappointment when she partners American Lindy Duncan in the Dow Championship in Michigan.

The Co Cavan star missed the cut at Riviera, but she'll relish the team aspect at Midland Country Club, where players will play foursomes and fourballs with the top 33 teams making the cut.

Lauren Walsh, fresh from her career-best third-place finish in the ShopRite LPGA two weeks ago, makes her debut in the event alongside Celine Herbin of France.

On the HotelPlanner Tour, Ronan Mullarney, Max Kennedy, Liam Nolan, John-Ross Galbraith, Gary Hurley and James Sugrue tee it up in the HotelPlanner Tour's Interwetten Open in Austria.