Shane Lowry has been the latest of the heavyweight golfers to offer his reflections on the moment that world golf is experiencing, the departure of Jon Rahm to LIV, his chances of playing the Ryder Cup and the strange situation that presents itself to the average fan. The Irish player, champion of the Open Championship in 2019 and member of this year’s winning Ryder Cup team at Marco Simone, has given a lesson in sanity and common sense without raising his voice or disrespecting anyone.
Lowry, who has no intention of playing in the Arab league, perfectly understands Rahm’s decision to sign for LIV, what he doesn’t buy is the discourse, not only from Jon, but from the vast majority who disembark there. “I think what Jon said about the growth of the game and so on is obviously what they have to say. The communication team has told them that this is what you have to say when you are asked this and you have no other choice because you now belong to them,” explained Lowry during the presentation of the Irish Open 2024.
In this sense, Lowry understands the dismay and even the frustration that can be generated in the fan by the speeches of those who have changed the PGA Tour or the DP World Tour for LIV. “I don’t know if LIV Golf has been detrimental, but to the people who spend the money they work so hard to earn to become a member of a golf club, buy clubs and play at the weekend, it’s hard to hear the guy say he has to do this to put food on the table for his wife and children.”
The Irish player does not endorse the PGA Tour’s performance in all this chaos sown since the Saudis burst into the world of golf, but he also dares not attack them. “If you ask me if I think they have been impressive in all this, well probably not, but I’m not going to criticise them because I think they couldn’t foresee that this was going to happen. It was something that just happened. I don’t know. Many players have many opinions on the direction of the circuit. But I don’t consider myself smart enough to be able to comment on the management of a multimillion-dollar organisation.”
Finally, Lowry was also questioned about the possibility of Rahm playing or not the Ryder Cup at Bethpage in 2025. It should be remembered that even Rory McIlroy explained that the circuit rules had to be changed for this to be possible. Well, Lowry wants Rahm on the team, but without changing any rule, since he already has the possibility of qualifying.
“The reason why [Sergio García, Ian Poulter, Lee Westwood] couldn’t play the Ryder Cup this year was because they gave up their affiliation [to the DP World Tour]. There were certain players who could have made the team if they had played well enough, but they simply didn’t. I’m sure Rahmbo can play well enough to make the team, so if he doesn’t give up his affiliation, he could be in the next Ryder.”
