‘Somebody Has To Miss Out’ - Lowry Confident With Luke Donald’s Ryder Cup Team

Shane Lowry says he lives for the big occasion, and hopes to show what he's made of in golf's biggest occasion - the upcoming Ryder Cup in Rome.

It's the start of a huge month for Lowry, starting with him playing in the Horizon Irish Open this week, which he calls his 'fifth Major', and leading on to being defending champion at the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth.

Lowry was one of Luke Donald's six wildcard picks after failing to qualify, but the captain believes the Irishman will rise to the big occasion despite not being at his best this year - and the former Open champion agrees.

"My form probably has not been the greatest, but some of the bigger events I've played some of my best golf," said Lowry ahead of the Irish Open.

"There's nothing bigger than the Ryder Cup, and hopefully I can go to Rome and show people what I'm made of. I live for the occasion and I love it."

Lowry feels although results didn't go his way, he hasn't been playing too badly this season, and is confident enough in his ability to step up for the Ryder Cup.

"I think there's certain times throughout the season where I maybe didn't finish off tournaments as well as I would have liked, which makes it look like - you finish 15th or 20th, it makes it look like an average week, but finish the tournament a little better on Sunday or a couple of shots here or there you're not far away. I certainly didn't feel like I was far off this year.

"I'm very confident in my own ability, and I know what I can bring. I think Luke knows that, as well. I'm very happy to be in the team. I think we have a very good team this year. I think we have a very strong team, and I'm very excited for Rome."

Somebody had to miss out

As usual, the wildcard picks have come in for criticism, especially with Adrian Meronk failing to get a place meaning even the entire qualifying system has been put under the microscope.

Lowry, though, is obviously happy with the current system and feels Europe have their best 12 players in the team heading to Marco Simone.

"f you look at the way the team was picked, there's not many players playing that weren't in the top 12, myself included, I think. 

"I think if you went down the list, you have the best 12 players, and that's why you have six picks, so you have the chance to pick the 12 best players.

"I personally think that's the right way to go about it, and like I said, I think we have the best 12 players from Europe coming to play this Ryder Cup, and I think we're in form. A lot of players are in very good form, as you've seen over the last few weeks, and I think we're going to give it a great go this year.

"People have their opinion. Adrian has had a great year, and obviously he's unfortunate to miss out, but somebody has to miss out. 

"I'm not going to sit here and disagree with Luke Donald. It was his decision at the end of the day, if he thinks that somebody else is better for this team than he was."

Europe plan Rome scouting trip

Lowry says that all of Donald's team will be in Rome after the Irish Open to check out the course and have a first team bonding session.

"(We're) Flying from here to Rome. We're all playing and staying for dinner Monday night and we're flying to Wentworth on Tuesday," said Lowry.

"That's going to be an amazing trip. That'll be a nice team bonding. It'll be nice for the likes of Ludvig and Nicolai to get to know the guys that they don't already know, and it'll be good for the caddies, as well. It'll be a good trip."