It would end in frustration but watching Shane Lowry chase his first regular win on the PGA Tour on Sunday was an incredibly exciting watch.
Big tournaments are so much better when one of the Irish guys is in the mix.
Harbour Town links is comfortably one of the tightest courses on the PGA Tour and it can inspire fear in a lot of players.
It is possibly the hardest venue to conquer leading from the front.
And so it proved for Shane who led at the 13th only to double bogey the 14th and finish T3, one shot off eventual champion Jordan Spieth who beat Patrick Cantlay in a play-off.
Sunday’s setback aside, since returning to the PGA Tour in February, Lowry has been in the form of his life and the numbers speak for themselves.
His T3 at Hilton Head backed up a T3 at the previous week’s Masters and his recent runners-up finish at the Honda Classic. He was also T13 at the Players and 12th at the Valspar.
As they say in the States, he is on the heater, and the only frustration to date will be that he has failed to sneak one of his performances across the line.
He made mistakes on Sunday, but it’s all part of a sport where the margins are so slim. One day your game can be flawless, the next it drives you crazy and leaves you empty.
Professional golf takes you on a dizzying journey of peaks and valleys and it’s how you process that vista that often determines the trajectory of your career.
Like every other player, Shane is chasing a sweet spot in his game and he will be desperate to turn a T3 into a winner’s podium and a first victory since his triumph at the 2019 Open.
Will he be hacked off at falling short on Sunday? Absolutely. He needed five pars to win and messed up, but it happens and he has to move on quickly. Don’t overthink it.
The biggest thing for Shane now is to reflect positively on his overall form and understand that the gods of golf giveth but can also taketh away in an instant.
An errant shot at the 14th aside, Lowry is doing things right at the moment and all these experiences, good and bad, are adding to his game.
He will be battle hardened for the tests ahead.
Lowry’s form across the first four months of 2022 is in the right place and he is performing like a player equipped to challenge on the world’s biggest stages.
Sometimes seeing the wood from the trees is the biggest challenge for a touring professional.
If he does that, a first ever US Open, another Claret Jug or a DP World Championship should all be on his radar in the months ahead.
An Open Jor is on the cards
Jordan Spieth is back doing what he does best – chasing titles and winning tournaments.
Sunday’s victory at the RBC Heritage was his 13th success on the PGA Tour and his hall of fame status is guaranteed at the relatively tender age of 28.
The three-time major champion has had a very mixed bag of form this season, with a second place finish at Pebble Beach the only highlight of his previous nine starts in 2022.
But he is back winning and he did it without showing any kind of form on the greens which is a great testament to his ball striking and swing changes.
It should also be a concern to the rest of the pack.
Spieth reminds me a bit of Padraig Harrington. He has a curious mind and doesn’t mind tinkering in an attempt to improve or gain a greater understanding of his game.
It can be a dangerous road, but the RBC Heritage was a reminder of his brilliance. It was also the perfect response to his missed cut at the Masters.
The World No10 has a chance to complete a career grand slam at next month’s USPGA, but winning the Open at St Andrew’s will also be a huge target.
Both are massive incentives.
Spieth will be desperate to get back to winning majors – his last was the 2017 Open at Royal Birkdale – and regain his status as one of the world’s best players.
Now is the Ryde time to start planning ahead..
The DP World Tour makes its return to European shores this week and we can look forward to a run of virtually uninterrupted golf until the finale in Dubai in November.
Spain hosts the ISPS Handa Championship and for some it will be a welcome break from the first few months of the season.
The early tournaments in South Africa, Kenya, Qatar or UAE can be huge but they can also be challenging for players, purely in terms of logistics and geography.
Travel demands will be lighter within Europe and there’ll be a familiarity for a lot of players who will flourish on home soil or in new surroundings.
The Ryder Cup remains the flagship event for European golf and we are desperate to source a stream of new talent for our next teams for Rome in 2023 and Bethpage 2025.
As always, my primary focus will be on the Irish, but I’ll also be keeping a close eye on the potential new faces that emerge ahead of next year’s transatlantic shootout.
Betting tips
ISPS HANDA
Jazz Janewattananond - 50/1 EW: Layout at the Lakes Course in Tarragona might suit him.
Julien Brun - 66/1 EW: The Frenchman has settled in really well as a rookie.
Andy Sullivan - 80/1 EW: This is a big price for a former Ryder Cup player.
ZURICH CLASSIC
Shane Lowry and Ian Poulter - 18/1 EW: Ryder Cup pals could gel in two-man competition.
Adam Hadwin and Adam Svensson - 40/1 EW: The two Adams are capable of shining if they click.
Alex Noren and Henrik Norlander - 80/1 EW: I like this value for a talented Swedish pairing.
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