Shane Lowry has said that he is honoured to be going to the 2020 Tokyo Olympic games to represent Team Ireland in golf ahead of the Irish Open.
The Irishman will pair up with Rory McIlroy for the tournament as the duo will aim to win the first medal in golf for Ireland at the Olympics.
Lowry noted that it felt good seeing what the Olympics meant to those who chose him and hopes to do the country proud when he plays at the Kasumigaseki Country Club next month.
“I think it’s just pretty cool that I’m going,” said the one-time major winner.
The 2019 Open Champion is going over there searching for success and not for the experience alone, adding that he wants a medal.
Lowry ruled himself out of contention for the first-ever golfing tournament at the Rio Olympics in 2016 due to the outbreak of the Zika virus at the time.
At that time, he was recently newlywed to his wife Wendy and they were planning to have a family.
Statement on my Olympic Games participation pic.twitter.com/KY4YBzFa3g
— Shane Lowry (@ShaneLowryGolf) June 28, 2016
Based on that, he was advised not to travel to Rio to take part in the Olympic games and instead put his family’s welfare first.
Five years later, a year longer than expected, he will represent his country at the Olympics, something he described in his statement from June 2016 as an honour that would bring him “a huge source of pride.”
The Ryder Cup is another tournament that is also in the sights of the Irish golfer.
Lowry feels he is on course to be chosen by Pádraig Harrington to represent Europe in their defence of the trophy at Whistling Straits in Wisconsin.
His ability to stay in Ireland ahead of the upcoming Open Championship and subsequently his appearance at the Open will help his case as Whistling Straits is a links course, much like many courses in Ireland and Britain.
Lowry believes he only needs to replicate the form he has been in over the last year to be picked.
“I’ve put myself pretty close to the team. I think some good golf over the next couple of months will do that.”
Tee times and broadcast details for the 2021 Irish Open are available here.
