‘I'd go through the tough times a million times over to experience what I did on Sunday’ — Shane Lowry

Shane Lowry speaks to the media on the eve of the BMW PGA at Wentworth. Picture: Getty Images

Shane Lowry says he’d endure the miseries he suffered over the past few years “a million times over” to enjoy moments like Sunday’s 11-shot Amgen Irish Open win.

“There have been a few times where I spent the few days after a tournament being pretty miserable this year,” Lowry said on the eve of the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth.

“Even though I was quite tired, it was nice to get to Adare on Monday and spend some time with the lads and do that and then nice to go home and see my folks.”

Winning, he admitted, was worth all the pain of the past four years. “You have to go through the tough times to experience the good times, and it's very, very hard at times to go through those tough times. But I'd go through them a million times over to experience what I did on Sunday.”

He was dragged back to mundane reality quickly at DP World Tour HW and admitted the Tour has “huge decisions” to make about its season-ending play-off events in the war-torn Middle East.

As things stand, the Abu Dhabi Championship (Nov.5-8) and the DP World Tour Championship, Dubai (Nov. 12-15), are scheduled to go ahead.

However, the DP World Tour said that, like its Formula 1 counterparts, which are expected to decide in the coming weeks whether to stage the final two races of the season in Qatar and Abu Dhabi, it is monitoring the situation.

“We are in constant dialogue with our members and their management teams about the tournaments they play in, but ultimately players' individual schedule choices are a matter for them to decide,” the DP World Tour said.

"As far as our play-offs are concerned, it remains our intention to play as scheduled in the UAE, but we continue to monitor the situation and take advice from our international travel advisors.”

England’s Matt Fitzpatrick said he’s not “100 per cent comfortable" about travelling to Dubai to defend November’s season-ending DP World Tour Championship, as there is concern that the United Arab Emirates could be a target due to the ongoing Iran-USA war.

“I think if the tour do go, I'm sure they have had the best advice possible on what that looks like,” he said. “As things stand right now, I wouldn't necessarily be too keen on going.

Lowry opted not to weigh in heavily on the issue when he arrived at Wentworth, where he won in 2022.

“Well, as of last week, I wasn't in them,” he said of the two play-off events. “Haven't had a chance to think, but to be honest, I was planning on taking a decent break this winter, so I'm not sure I'm planning on going anyway.

“I don't know. I just have to wait and see what they will do. The Tour will make a decision pretty soon. We'll see.

“They are huge decisions for everyone— obviously for the Tour, for Dubai itself, for Abu Dhabi— and I'm not going to sit here and comment on the whole thing because I think it's up to the powers above to kind of sort that all out.

“I think if the tournaments are on, the players are going to go. And if they are not, they will find an alternative.

“Fortunately enough, I'm in a position that if they are not on in November or January, I've got options [on the PGA TOUR].”

The conflict in the Middle East could also affect the Hero Cup team event, which is crucial to Europe’s Ryder Cup preparations, and is scheduled for Abu Dhabi Golf Resort the week before the Hero Dubai Desert Classic in January.

As for the 2027 DP World Tour schedule, it was confirmed that the Irish Open will move from September to July 1-4 to avoid a clash with the Ryder Cup in Adare.

“Yeah, it's going to make summer extra busy for us all,” Lowry said. “But you know, obviously it is what it is with the Ryder Cup with the date it is. It will be nice for me.

“I'll be able to stay at home. My family will be there. It will be a nice week to be at home.

Rory McIlroy, who shot a 12-under 60 in the BMW PGA Pro-Am, confirmed on Sunday that he’ll play at The K Club, though he fears some stars will stay away.

“Field-wise, we'll see; I'm not sure,” he said. “The Scottish Open will be the week after and a lot of guys are probably going to play that. But I get it. The Ryder Cup's in Ireland next year and something had to give."

Meanwhile, Séamus Power will look to bounce back from his missed cut at Doonbeg in the PGA Tour’s Biltmore Championship in North Carolina.

The first of eight Fall Series events, it’s a chance for players to retain their spots among the top 100 in the FedEx Cup, who will be fully exempt this year or for players like 114th-ranked Power to improve their status.

On the Ladies European Tour, Lauren Walsh, Aine Donegan, Sara Byrne, Anna Foster, Annbel Wilson and Olivia Mehaffey tee it up in the La Sella Open at La Sella Golf Resort in Spain.