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

Poker Face wrote: »

34 world ranking pts behind Perez who he needs to pass at moment. In ranking pts is that a big lead to have to claw back?

Not that big. Double points are being awarded between now and the cut off date.

Shane earned 23 world ranking points for his tied 4th finish yesterday, giving him 46 points in the Ryder Cup World Points table. A couple of top 10s over the coming weeks would probably get him past Perez's current total.

But the likelihood is that Perez will also pick up world ranking points, so the key issue is the extent to which Shane can outperform Perez. And I would be more concerned about those who are currently just below Shane in the rankings, given how poorly Perez has performed since finishing 4th in the WGC matchplay.

Shane is only 22 points ahead of Justin Rose, with MacIntyre, Willett, Garcia, Wiesberger and Wallace next in line behind Rose. I think it's quite likely that at least some of these will be ahead of Perez by the time qualifying finishes.

Early doors yet, but as of today, but if it was being picked today, Lowry would be going I think.

Rahm/Fleetwood/Hatton/Rors/Hovland/Casey/Westwood/Matty Fitz and Victor Perez are the automatic selections.

That leaves Lowry, Bobby Mc, Sergio, Rose, Bernd, Willett, Mike Wallace for the top 3.

His experience of the big pressure events, would definitely favour him over at least 4 players there, think Podge would take Rose, Lowry and Sergio.

It can very quickly change, but Lowry's ryder cup hinges on his performance at Torrey/RSG for the next two majors.

First Up wrote: »

It isn't just down to him. The team needs RC experience. The more rookies who qualify automatically, the less rookies will be picked.

doesn't always come down to Ryder Cup experience, rookies who are playing well are far more valuable than veterans playing poorly (hi Phil). Normally RC rookies are not major champions. I think he is in a little different category for that reason. The fact that he plays week in week out on the PGA tour is a big plus. Think he makes the flight even if he is rookie 3/4 or even 5.

But again depends on his game in the really big events.

It's interesting to read all the talk of will he/won't he with regards Harrington picking him.

It's a bit of an underestimation of Shane himself imo. He knew he needed a big year and he's going about it the right way.

Players 8th
Masters T23
USPGA T4

All in the last 10 weeks or so. With the US Open and his defensive of The Open coming up... I don't think he'll be even thinking about relying on a favour from his friend.

BrianD3 wrote: »

Harrington is a clever man, I wonder was there a bit of psychology in yesterday's interview where he was talking about how great it was paying with Lowry. IMO this makes it LESS likely that Lowry will get a captain's pick. Lowry will know this and it could help him push himself to play his way into the automatic places. In which case, everyone wins.

Does not compute

Johnny_Fontane wrote: »

The six footer on 18 was worth $353,750. :eek::eek::eek:

are you sure,he would have been 4th on his own getting 500k+ instead of 400k,am I missing something?

One name not been mentioned for a pick is Poulter,if he comes up at all the clamour for his inclusion will be deafening.

willabur wrote: »

can you imagine the blowback from SKY Sports if he doesn't pick Poulter. Every single time he is on screen they talk about it in some shape or form

Poulter will be there in one way or another imo. Paddy has still to name another VC doesn't he?

dublin49 wrote: »

are you sure,he would have been 4th on his own getting 500k+ instead of 400k,am I missing something?

One name not been mentioned for a pick is Poulter,if he comes up at all the clamour for his inclusion will be deafening.

The calculation seems to have been based on finishing 3rd on his own. Simple enough error to make.

I agree with you about Poulter. Will definitely get a pick if he’s showing any type of form coming up to the event.

Grey Fox wrote: »

Thats not human nature, we all show favouritism to our mates or people who have benefitted us.

In positions of responsibility it’s often not the case, as deemed ethical and moral obligation may make people negatively discriminate also.

European Points List (top 4 from this automatically qualify)
Rank|Player|Points
1|Jon RAHM|5,185.82
2|Tommy FLEETWOOD|4,911.26
3|Tyrrell HATTON|4,860.56
4|Rory MCILROY|3,975.19
5|Victor PEREZ|3,676.75
6|Matthew FITZPATRICK|2,940.90
7|Bernd WIESBERGER|2,742.13
8|Paul CASEY|2,679.16
9|Robert MACINTYRE|2,665.57
10|Danny WILLETT|2,318.39
11|Matthias SCHWAB|2,262.97
12|Lee WESTWOOD|2,220.65
13|Justin ROSE|2,120.95
14|Shane LOWRY|1,864.31


World Points List (top 5 from this automatically qualify outside of those 4 qualified from above)
Rank|Player|Points
1|Jon RAHM|378.78
2|Rory MCILROY|344.97
3|Tyrrell HATTON|269.02
4|Viktor HOVLAND|241.40
5|Paul CASEY|227.31
6|Lee WESTWOOD|226.98
7|Tommy FLEETWOOD|203.60
8|Matthew FITZPATRICK|200.36
9|Victor PEREZ|187.37
10|Shane LOWRY|154.09
11|Justin ROSE|132.38
12|Robert MACINTYRE|128.94
13|Danny WILLETT|123.46
14|Sergio GARCIA|115.58
15|Bernd WIESBERGER|101.62
16|Matt WALLACE|101.49


Blue are those who are qualifying as it stands from the European Points List.
Green are those who are qualifying as it stands from the World Points List.


Bernd Wiesberger the highest points scorer on the European Points list not already qualified, so if Padraig is going to take at least one more player from that list, then he is in pole position.

Shane Lowry the highest points scorer on the World Points list not already qualified, so if Padraig is going to take at least one more player from the world points list, then he is in pole position.

After that for the final pick, who the feck knows lol but Justin Rose or Sergio Garcia I would think the most likely given their previous Ryder Cup records and I think he will favour someone with experience to make up the final spot over a rookie such as MacIntyre, especially playing in the US.
He recently spoke about Garcia's pedigree in the Ryder Cup and of his record and said if Sergio was in need of a pick, he felt he would have to pick him based on his experience.

dublin49 wrote: »

I think Paddy would pick Shane and Rose and would have to decide between Weisberger and Sergio. If Sergio needs a pick come August there will be a lot of coverage around the previous bad feeling between Paddy and Sergio.

That would certainly put a lot of pressure on Padraig. Just as he would need to have strong justification to include Shane, he would also need strong justification to exclude Sergio.

I wouldn’t like to be in Padraig’s position if there are two obvious wild card picks and a choice between Shane and Sergio for the third spot.

Harrington told the telegraph just before the PGA (I've copied the article below that Sergio would have to lose a limb not to make the team and also intimated that Shane was a pick as a major winner cannot really be referred to as a rookie. He also suggested Poulter was ahead of Rose in his thinking. Obviously ideally Shane gets in and he picks Sergio, JR and Poults, but as we all know we don't live in an ideal world so expect someone to be unhappy and I think JR would have to feel a little aggrieved if he missed out.


Europe captain Padraig Harrington has revealed Sergio Garcia “nearly needs to lose a limb” to miss out on a wildcard for September’s Ryder Cup and that Ian Poulter is “not far behind” as he considers his three picks for Whistling Straits.

Harrington also believes that the top nine in the Europe standings “look pretty well set” to qualify automatically.

The Irishman’s comments before Thursday’s first round of the USPGA Championship here at the Ocean Course, are bound to raise a few eyebrows in the camps of Justin Rose, Francesco Molinari, Henrik Stenson, Danny Willett and reigning Open champion, Shane Lowry.

As a supposed Europe stalwart who is only a few places off the automatic berths, Rose could feel especially shocked to hear he could essentially be in a dogfight for one spot.

Meanwhile, rookies such as Bob MacIntyre and Matt Wallace must now believe they require dramatic headway in the last few months of the points race to make it by right.

Speaking candidly to Telegraph Sport, Harrington said: “If you look at the team, the top nine guys are well up there. Yes, from now on it is double points [per qualifying event], the reason being that if someone plays well, form will be rewarded, but only one guy is going to play their way in at most.

“I would say the experienced players will now be playing to impress and the rookies should know they have to play their way in.

“If you look at the guys who aren’t in, it would be a very odd decision to overlook Sergio and Poulter so that doesn’t leave very much does it? Which is difficult. Justin is the perfect example. He showed at Augusta [where he finished seventh] that he likes the big event. And what if Frankie starts playing well?

“You got four or five Ryder Cup players in contention. Sergio will nearly need to lose a limb not to be picked and Poulter is not far behind him. Nobody is guaranteed a pick, but, well, you have to think with Sergio and Ian…”

Garcia is currently in 13th in the standings and with his status as the match’s all-time record point scorer, it would, indeed, be difficult to envisage the Spaniard being denied a 10th appearance.

Poulter, in contrast, is way down in 28th and is without a strokeplay top 10 in seven months. And despite the 45-year-old’s past performances and reputation in the biennial dust-up, Harrington’s bullishness regarding Poulter's candidature is a surprise. He is 67th in the world and has not even yet qualified for next month’s US Open in Torrey Pines.

However, Harrington clearly recalls Poulter’s stunning contribution in the 2012 success in Medinah, the only time the away side has won in the last 17 years. “I wouldn’t say it is impossible for the visiting team to come through but the results suggest it is getting that way,” Harrington said. “If you think the last time we did it, it was classed as a flaming ‘miracle’ and the US haven’t done it since what, 1993?

“That’s down to course set-up, but the good thing this year is that I’m not sure the Americans can set up Whistling Straits as a birdie-fest. It’s links-style, it’ll be windy and should play into European hands. It’s a Pete Dye layout like the Ocean Course and I don’t think it’s a coincidence that we had European winners of majors at both of them [Martin Kaymer at Whistling Straits in 2010 and Rory McIlroy here in 2012].

“I would see this [US] PGA as a good chance for our guys and I would love to have one or more of this year’s major-winners in my team. Particularly a major on US soil as it’s been a while.”

Indeed, there have been 12 American majors since Garcia’s Masters glory in 2017, the longest barren stretch for Europe in the US since Harrington, himself, ended the humbling void of 28 US majors at this event in 2008.

Shane is definitely trending in the right direction.