Shane Lowry said he played some of his best golf of 2023 after finishing third at the Horizon Irish Open at the K Club, marking his first top-10 finish since February.
After a strong 2022, which concluded in stunning style with a victory at the BMW PGA Championship in Wentworth, Lowry has endured a patchy season in 2023, with three top-20 finishes in majors but a dearth of top-10s.
With the relief of earning a Ryder Cup captain's pick courtesy of Luke Donald at the start of the week, Lowry returned to form in Kildare this week, posting three rounds of 68 and a 72 to finish on 12-under, in a tie for third and just two strokes shy of eventual winner Vincent Norrman.
"I played some of the best golf I've played all year," Lowry told RTÉ Sport's Greg Allen on Sunday evening.
"One thing I'm pleased with, my iron play has been iffy over the last month or two and I felt like that was one of the best parts of my game this week.
"I feel like I've got a nice few weeks ahead of me and this is a great way to kickstart it."
Vincent Norrman powered to victory at the 2023 Horizon Irish Open with a final round 65, Shane Lowry climbing to tied-3rd after an impressive finish - @DAVEKELLY4 reports from @thekclub pic.twitter.com/C1Gb22KdmL
— RTEgolf (@RTEgolf) September 10, 2023
The 2009 winner briefly looked like contending for the title with a run of three birdies in four holes between 10 and 13 before a bogey on the 15th scuppered his chances.
Putting woes cost Lowry on Saturday, in particular, where his round of 72 left him five adrift at the start of the final round. However, he was relatively happy with his putting stroke, despite the numerous close shaves.
"I feel like this season has been a season where I've not put all parts of my game together during tournament play.
"I feel like I go out some weeks and I'm driving the ball really well. Other weeks, I'm putting well. Other weeks, my iron play is good. And I just feel it hasn't all come together.
"It almost came together this week. I hit so many good putts the last two days. I know it's all ifs and buts but I couldn't do any more the last two days. I feel like I burnt the edge an awful lot out there. Gave myself lots of chances and it just wasn't to be."
Major season may have concluded some time ago but Lowry feels he has shrugged off his halting form at an exciting time of the year but the DP World Tour's blue riband event coming up next week and the Ryder Cup to come.
Lowry is especially anxious to deliver at the latter, having won an inspirational point alongside a misfiring Tyrrell Hatton in foursomes on Saturday but suffered a resounding 4&2 loss to Patrick Cantlay in singles.
"This is a great start to the next few weeks. "I'm going back to a place where I love next week [Wentworth].
"We're playing our biggest event in Europe and I'm defending champion so I'm excited to get there.
"And then a couple of weeks time, obviously the Ryder Cup is something I've had on my mind for a long time. Probably for two years.
"Since standing on that 18th green on Whistling Straits after getting beaten pretty bad and you have it in the back of your head for a couple of years that you want to get there and show what you're made of.
"We're after assembling a great team this year and I feel like we've a great chance."
The European team are bound for Rome on Monday, where they'll play the Marco Simone layout.
"It's about creating a good bond together because you go through emotions that week that you never thought you would do with a group of fellas."
