Shane Lowry will put the disappointment of missing the cut at the last two majors behind him and will now focus on attempting to qualify for the European Ryder Cup team, which will be named later this month.
The former Irish Open winner is on the fringes of the automatic places and will now need some big results over the next few weeks to make Darren Clarke’s side.
The US Open runner-up missed the cut at last week’s PGA Championship and will play at the PGA Tour Travelers Championship in Connecticut this week as he looks to move into one of five automatic places on the World Points List.
New week, new start, big month coming up now. Starting with the @TravelersChamp this week. Looking forward to my week in Hartford.
— Shane Lowry (@ShaneLowryGolf) August 1, 2016
Speaking to RTE Sport last week, Lowry said: “I was putting a lot of pressure on myself, looking at the Ryder Cup.
"But listen, I do really want to make the Ryder Cup, I really want to make that team."
And Lowry tweeted today that he was hoping for a big month, starting at this week's Travelers, saying: "New week, new start, big month coming up now. Starting with the @TravelersChamp this week. Looking forward to my week in Hartford."
Lowry is currently 15th on that world list with 106.51 points, while ninth-placed Matthew Fitzpatrick on 145.01 points occupies the fifth automatic place.
As things stand, Rory McIlroy could be Ireland’s only representative on this year’s team as the Holywood man is the only Irish player in the nine automatic qualifying places.
Ryder Cup captain Clarke will add three wildcard choices to the nine players who automatically make the team, which will be confirmed after the Made In Denmark event, which takes place from 25-28 August.
Other notable players who sit on the fringes of Ryder Cup qualification include captain Clarke’s stablemate and long-time friend Lee Westwood, 2012 Ryder Cup hero and two-time major winner Martin Kaymer, Soren Kjeldsen, Thorbjorn Olesen, Russell Knox and the in-form Tyrrell Hatton.
So let’s have a look at the nine players who currently occupy the automatic Ryder Cup selections:
Rory McIlroy: The four-time major winner currently tops the European Points List and is second in the World Points List so McIlroy’s place is guaranteed for the September event. McIlroy won last year’s Race To Dubai as well as the season-ending DP World Tour Championship, before securing the Irish Open at the K Club in May.
Danny Willett The Masters champion is another who is guaranteed his place for the Hazeltine event as he sits second and third on the European Points List and World Points List respectively. Willett’s form has been up and down since his famous Green Jacket win but should be a key member of Clarke’s team, despite being a Ryder Cup rookie.
Henrik Stenson: The Open champion will play his fourth Ryder Cup this year and will be a key member of the squad thanks to his vast experience playing on the PGA Tour. The former FedEx Cup winner secured his maiden major this summer and just ran out of steam as he attempted to secure his second just three weeks later at the PGA.
Chris Wood: Winner of the European Tour’s flagship BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth in May, Wood is virtually assured of his place in this year’s team. Despite being a stalwart of the European Tour, this will be Wood’s first appearance playing for Europe. Playing some excellent golf this summer but struggling with injury in recent weeks, which forced him to pull out of The Open. Wood just missed the cut by one shot at last week’s PGA.
Sergio Garcia A European Ryder Cup team would not be the same without the jovial Spaniard and Garcia’s place is all but assured thanks to his world form. Sitting 17th in the European Points List, Garcia is playing the majority of his golf Stateside and his form has been excellent all summer.
Justin Rose: A quiet season by Rose’s standards, yet the Englishman won the Hong Kong Open in October of last year and his form in America has kept him in the automatic slots on the World Points List. Another Ryder Cup veteran with plenty of experience to share with the rookie contingent.
Andy Sullivan: After winning three times on the European Tour in 2015 and pushing Rory McIlroy all the way in the Tour Championship, the jovial Englishman shot up the world rankings and still occupies an automatic place on the Ryder Cup team. Sullivan suffered a dip in former earlier this year but had enjoyed a consistent summer and should still be in the automatic places on deadline day.
Rafa Cabrera Bello The Spaniard is looking to secure his place on what would be his maiden Ryder Cup team but will be looking over his shoulder over the next few weeks to make sure he is not overtaken on the World Points List. A good week will cement his place as he is also well-placed on the European Points List.
Matthew Fitzpatrick: Another potential Ryder Cup rookie, Fitzpatrick needs a couple of big performances this month to guarantee his place on the team. The former world amateur champion won the British Masters at Woburn last October and proved very consistent in the opening half of this Ryder Cup cycle.
