Shane Lowry is hoping his performance in front of captain Padraig Harrington at last week’s US PGA Championship will help secure him a Ryder Cup debut, should he not qualify automatically.
The Irishmen played together in the final round at Kiawah Island and finished joint fourth on two under par, four behind winner Phil Mickelson.
“Padraig knows what I can do,” said Lowry, 34, who is currently outside the nine automatic qualification spots.
“I’m in a good position.”
The 43rd staging of the biennial matchplay contest between Europe and the United States, postponed from 2020, is taking place from 24-26 September at Whistling Straits, Wisconsin, on a course that was – like Kiawah Island’s Ocean Course – designed by Pete Dye.
“I play a lot of golf with Padraig, I spend a lot of time with him but to do that in front of him was pretty nice, very satisfying,” said Lowry.
“I can only put my best foot forward. If I play to the best of my ability over the next few months, I could make that team and that’s my main goal.
“If I don’t make it, I want to be so close so I make a decision for him. Last week was a great start because when they are picking a team they do look at majors, and if you have big finishes that strengthens your case.”
The qualification period for the European team ends after the PGA Championship at Wentworth on Sunday, 12 September.
The top four players will qualify from the European Points list along with the top five players in the World Points list who are not already in from the European list. The remaining three spots are captain’s picks.
Lowry, who won the 2019 Open Championship at Royal Portrush in Northern Ireland, has a busy summer schedule lined up to try to qualify automatically and he hopes the return of fans will help him.
He remains the defending champion after last year’s Open was cancelled because of the coronavirus pandemic.
The R&A is optimistic that it will be allowed to have 30,000 spectators – 75% of the normal 40,000 capacity – attend each day of this year’s 149th Open, the only one of the four men’s majors to not be played in 2020, at Royal St George’s, Sandwich.
“I was disappointed, kind of selfishly, that I was not able to go to the likes of the Irish Open and play in front of the crowds as The Open champion,” said Lowry, who shot 81 on his only previous appearance at St George’s in the Amateur Championship.
“And last year, when we played the PGA and the US Open and the Masters with no crowds, I felt like I struggled.
“I felt like it was just hard to kind of get yourself to that level where the intensity that you really wanted to be at.
“So it was nice to have that back at the Masters somewhat this year, and then the PGA last week was really, really cool to have the crowds back.”
Lowry got to keep the Claret Jug for an extended period and says he will be handing it back in pristine fashion after having had minor repairs done on it.
“I noticed as it was going through the airport scanner it had a little dent on it but I talked to [2015 champion] Zach Johnson and he said he also bent it,” added Lowry.
“I can assure you it is in good shape and will come back nice and shiny.”
