Shane Lowry - 2019 Champion Golfer of The Year (note first post please for posting guidance)

Trampas

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123250090#Comment_123250090

He’s not been great off the tee but he’s approach shots are up there.

coillcam

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123250090#Comment_123250090

Statistically, his only glaring shortcoming is short putts. Tee to green he's well up there and his approach play has generally featured at the upper levels on tour. You can argue that he doesn't do well enough from positions where he can win or was leading after 36/54 holes. Closing tournaments is hard and there is only 1 trophy each week. Not everyone is Rory/Scheffler with an overflowing trophy room.

The first double on Saturday clearly rattled him. The 2nd was tough to watch. 110 yds out wedge in hand. You're only thinking how close is his birdie putt going to be. Quite hard for anyone to reset and brush it off tbf. Interestingly on Sunday only Bradley had better than -3 in the top 5 with -8.

If your in Shane's backroom team you have to be focusing on the positive stuff here. He's started the season well and has a lot to look forward to in a Ryder Cup year. I hope he puts Saturday behind him as I still think there is a lot more to come from Shane this year.

coillcam

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123250365#Comment_123250365

Datagolf has their own combined ranking system but it's hard to integrate the LIV guys. There's just not enough depth or events on LIV to work off. Regardless of the rankings any of Koepka, Rahm, DeChambeau and a few others could easily bag majors this year.

HanShotFirst

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123249931#Comment_123249931

A few more experiments required!

I don’t fancy his chances if winning at Sawgrass but another Top 10 would be impressive.

benny79

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123250365#Comment_123250365

Half? Id say 4 Koepka Rahm, Bryson & Cam.. DJ's form is shocking.. But if you want to include him thats 5.

The Big Easy

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123253004#Comment_123253004

Of the top 50, I think it's pretty close to half.

100% Top 50 players are

Cam, Rahm, Dechambeau, Brooks, Niemann, Reed, Ancer, Ortiz, Hatton, Puig

In my opinion top 50 players: Garcia, Gooch, Casey, Meronk, Burmester, Herbert, Leishman, Oosthuizen, Munoz.

That's 19, there's another 10 that you could argue one way or the other. McKibbin for example looking at his form was destined for the top 50 pretty soon.

The Pga Tour is seriously lacking quality at the top end these days. You can see that by the leader boards and some of the winners recently.

People don't want to acknowledge it but a good proportion of the most talented players in golf are playing in LIV and most people don't get to see them play anymore and we the viewers are the poorer for it. I know I'm far less interested in run of the mill Pga Tour events and even these signature events unless Rory or Shane are in contention.

REFLINE1

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123253134#Comment_123253134

Lol @ Paul Casey being a top 50 player. Or Leishman/Oosthuizen these days for that matter. The rest are debatable

The Big Easy

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123253187#Comment_123253187

It's harder to judge with the older guys who were top 10 players at their peak.

Casey's form is good on LIV the last couple of years so I put him in, same with Oosty.

REFLINE1

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123253203#Comment_123253203

ah ya fair enough i wouldn't stretch a far as Casey myself but its a bit subjective at this point. All i know is i hope it all gets sorted soon, has massively taken away my enjoyment of watching golf.

Adiaga 2

There is a good interview with Shane on the Sky Sports Golf podcast - not the latest episode but one before. He comes across very well and talks about his Open win and other career high points and his season ahead. His game seems in very good shape right now.

Innish_Rebel

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123253134#Comment_123253134

I know some parts can be peoples opinion on who would/would not be top 50 - but I would have an issue with quite a few - top 50 is bloody hard to get into. Separately data golf does a ranking based on strokes gained plus other areas so much more encompassing than the OWGR. And does rank the LIV players.

In that:

LIV top 50: Rahm, Hatton; Niemann; Dechambeau; Garcia; Puig; Burmester. So 7 from LIV in top 50. I agree Brooks (62) is surprising to not be there but his form has been terrible.

Cam smith is 71; Ancer is 56. Gooch (203) has had 3 top 10's in the last 12 months; Meronk is 165 in data golf.

So for me I would argue ~ 10 in the top 50. And a good few guys would be bouncing in or around 50 - 75 but not nailed on top 50 (McKibbin is 75 right now)

Cam Smith is one of the biggest disappointments for me when he won the open he was showing the form of a regular top 10 player in the world, he was ~ +2.0 strokes gained on average, PGA tour average ~ 1.0. Cam is now ~ +0.4 and has been for an extended period of time.

slave1

Can we leave the LIV aspect to that thread please and let this one be about Shane, tks folks

The Big Easy

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123253480#Comment_123253480

MOD EDIT

Shane will a top 10 player in the world shortly and I love Shane but I don't believe he is a true top 10 player, maybe top 20 at his best.

eagle eye

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123253566#Comment_123253566

You wouldn't know how good he could get if he manages to win one.

HanShotFirst

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123253566#Comment_123253566

I know what you mean. His irons are so good now that he’s generally a more rounded player to Clark, Fleetwood, Bradley and Hatton.

All of whom are ranked higher. Currently!

Can he win a regularly on the PGA tour though?

He’s nearly 38. I fancy he’s another Major in him. Gets the driver sorted and I think he’s a good chance when the US Open goes back to Oakmont this summer.

big_drive

It's been mentioned in media about how he's finding it difficult to settle into a new driver. Why not simply go back to an older model which worked well for him? Or is it not as simple as that, would Srixon be expecting him to use a newer model as part of his club deal

spacecoyote

He was ranked 1 for driving accuracy for a large portion of last year if I remember correctly

slave1

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123258004#Comment_123258004

He's won a Major and WGC so I reckon he can win any of the majors, maybe the Opens moreso and with the other two he'd need better players to be off form and his putter hot for 4 days

Trampas

Not a good start today with a bogey from 115 yards out on par 5. Lipped out for par from 4 feet

PokeHerKing

His par 5 struggles continue.

Trampas

Terrible birdie putt on next. Not a good start to the day. Body language wasn’t good after it. Needs to keep the head

Trampas

Gets one back and then finds the drink on 18 from 150 out

kowloonkev

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123253566#Comment_123253566

It's not his fault a bunch of people decided to stop playing competitive golf.

Shane is where he deserves to be in the rankings and the rankings are a true reflection of what is going on in competitive golf.

You could have an argument that the standard of golf is not as high as before, but Shane's position cannot be questioned.

Trampas

Not looking good for a decent finish this weekend. Might not even make the cut

Trampas

McGinley saying he’s literally last in putting stats

abff

He did well to make the cut, having been three shots outside the cut line with 8 to play.

Hopefully, he’ll build on that and have a good weekend.

Trampas

Whatever flat stick he’s using this week I don’t expect it’ll be seen next week. I do wonder deep down do the really want to play the weekend when just make the cut or before to go home and work on the game on the range or green.

TheRiverman

Disappointing round today.

Trampas

Only took 3 and a bit rounds to finally start finding the bottom of the cup

abff

Good round today, despite the double bogey on his 17th hole. Did well to bounce back with a birdie on the 9th (his final hole) to finish with a 67 and a top 20 placing after just getting through on the cut line.