Shane Lowry has joined the growing number of top players to pledge his future to the PGA and DP World Tours, insisting his main goal is to qualify for next year's Ryder Cup and add to his sole major title at the 2019 Open.
The war of words between the established circuits and the reported breakaway Super Golf League appeared to reach boiling point last week when Greg Norman penned an open letter to PGA Tour commissioner Jay Monahan. In it, the former World No. 1 accused Monahan of “bullying” players and even threatened legal action.
Now Lowry has had his say on the matter, describing Norman's letter as “aggressive” and throwing his support behind the Tour and its chief in an interview with Sky's Nick Dougherty.
“I think Jay is doing a great job with the PGA Tour and he’s done a great job over the last few weeks or couple of years or however long it’s been,” Lowry said. “There’s a lot of talk in the locker room and it felt like after the few announcements in LA last week that it was over, but I don’t know.
“I don’t know where it is, I don’t know where the tours are at, but all I know for me is I’m happy to be on the PGA Tour and the DP World Tour. I’m just trying to win tournaments out here and hopefully make that next Ryder Cup team and win more majors and do all that. That’s where my mind is at.”
Responding to the SGL threat, the PGA Tour launched the Player Impact Program, a $40 million fund that was awarded to the 10 players who drove the most engagement among fans and sponsors last year. It’s been upped to $50m for 2022, while total prize money has also been increased by $60m to $427m.
And while many of his peers have welcomed these initiatives, nothing has changed for Lowry, who says the “top players” will determine the future of golf.
“To be honest, I never really get too caught up in any of that stuff because, even in committees or meetings I don’t really have too much of a say. I arrive, I play my golf and I go home.
“I obviously have an opinion but I don’t think my opinion really matters a whole lot in the grand scheme of things. The top players have spoken out and the top players will come together and I think the top of world golf looks like it’s at the PGA Tour and the DP World Tour at the minute.”
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