Shane Lowry wants to get smart in Donegal this week as his bids to win the Irish Open for a second time.
The Offaly man famously won the 2009 edition as an amatuer and feels that some small improvements to his game can get him back on the winning trail.
Now ranked as world numner 90, it’s three year since his last victory on tour, the 2015 WGC Bridgestone in Ohio.
"I just have to try and be a bit smarter about my golf and make fewer mistakes and see where that leaves me on Sunday," the 31-year-old told RTÉ Sport.
"It’s a funny game – you get on a run when you’re playing well and you feel like you’re never going to play badly again. Then you get on a run when you are playing badly and you feel like you are never going to play well again.
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"There’s not been many missed cuts, there’s not been many disasterous weeks. It’s been average and average, unfortunately, doesn’t cut it on the PGA Tour. I just have to up my game above average for the next few months.
"Last week was a perfect example in France: three great rounds and I threw in a bad round on the Friday and that’s just the way my season has been."
The thoughts of being in the mix at Ballyliffin Golf Club come Sunday afternoon brings a smile to the Clara man’s face.
"I’d give anything for that," he said.
"That’s my plan for the next few days. I’m just going to go about my business and try and do it as best I can and hopefully that leaves me with a chance on Sunday.
"It would be great wouldn’t it; it would be like Offaly getting to an All-Ireland final. Hopefully I’ve a better chance."
Whether Lowry can get back on track on home soil remains to be seen, especially as he admits that dealing with the level of local support has not been his strong suit.
"I've not been great over the last few years," Lowry added.
"It's a weird one because one of the reasons I feel like I won the Irish Open is because I didn't know what it was about and how hard it was to play in it as a home player.
"The Irish people are great and we're very lucky how much they love their golf and how much they support us.
"I just haven't been good enough in dealing with what goes on with playing the Irish Open.
"I don't do this [a pre-tournament interview] every week. I don't do autographs after my round for 30 or 40 minutes every week. So to do it this week is a little bit different.
"The Irish people are coming up and they are paying good money to come watch us, so I'm going to stand there and give them what they want. Maybe I should be selfish and say 'I'm going to get in my car and go home', but I'm not a person that does that.
"I just have to get better with dealing with it when I'm on the course."
