GOLF NEWS:SHANE LOWRY'S stunning victory in the 3 Irish Open at Baltray on Sunday has moved him up from 16th to sixth in the world amateur rankings – the last one on which his name might appear.
The 22-year-old Walker Cup squad member, who earned himself a two-year European Tour exemption, maybe considering a switch to the professional ranks in time for next week’s European Open at the London Club in Kent.
Still ahead of him in the amateur rankings are Australian Scott Arnold, who missed the halfway cut by eight shots at County Louth, Americans Morgan Hoffman and Rickie Fowler, Canadian Nick Taylor and South African Nicol Van Wyk.
The 22-year-old Offalyman Lowry could have been in the field for the BMW PGA Championship which starts at Wentworth tomorrow if he had decided to turn professional straight away – or indeed if he had been invited to play as an amateur.
There will be no lie-in for Rory McIlroy at Wentworth – he is in the fifth group off at 7.40am tomorrow morning. The 20-year-old partners fellow Northern Irishman Graeme McDowell and American Ben Curtis, winner of the 2003 British Open at Sandwich.
Just 20 minutes later Swedish stars Henrik Stenson and Robert Karlsson are with South African Retief Goosen and they are followed immediately by Ernie Els, Ross Fisher and Paul Casey, then by Colin Montgomerie, Paul McGinley and twice winner Anders Hansen.
The later starters include Masters champion Angel Cabrera, Lee Westwood and Luke Donald, while for the second time in three weeks big-hitters John Daly and Alvaro Quiros are partners.
For Donald it is his first tournament in Europe for a year ending a barren spell that stretches all the way back to March 2006. The 31-year-old, who missed the second half of last season with a wrist injury that eventually needed surgery, is back from America.
It was put to Donald yesterday that he had maybe become something of a forgotten man in Europe.Since he last lifted a trophy Pádraig Harrington has won majors galore, Sergio Garcia, Casey and, most recently, Stenson have tasted glory in the States as well and McIlroy and now amateur Lowry have hit the headlines.
“It’s probably understandable,” he said. “But I have my own goals, my own aspirations and I feel like I haven’t achieved enough yet. But I’m working hard to do that and hopefully those results will come.”
The memory of last year’s event should certainly help. Donald came surging through to a share of third place with a closing 65 and, having finished seventh the previous May, he feels he knows how to play the famous West Course now.
World Amateur Rankings
1 Scott Arnold (Aus) 1347.50pts
2 Morgan Hoffmann (USA) 1196.83
3 Rickie Fowler (USA) 1182.89
4 Nick Taylor (Can) 1169.44
5 Nicol Van Wyk (Rsa) 1168.75
6 Shane Lowry(Irl) 1157.14
7 Stephan Gross (Ger) 1155.38
8 Jorge Campillo (Spa) 1137.33
9 Matt Hill (Can) 1122.41
10 Billy Horschel (USA) 1116.98
