The Offaly man failed to translate stellar PGA Tour form into results in the 2025 Majors, but his second successive appearance at the FedEx Cup finale represents a golden opportunity to make a statement.
All eyes will be on Scottie Scheffler’s battle to hold off Rory McIlroy et al and confirm his dominance in an event where he has no starting strokes advantage, and the winner will take home the FedEx Cup.
Lowry, who can be bumped out of the six automatic places in Luke Donald’s Ryder Cup side if Rasmus Hojgaard finishes 29th or better in the final counting Betfred British Masters, has reason to shine.
He is a certainty for Bethpage come what may, but will want to put on a show at East Lake, where Scheffler is the hot favourite to retain the FedEx Cup despite the elimination of the staggered strokes format this year.
“Yeah, I guess no more sandbagging for me at the end of the year,” the world No 1 joked. “I was not a huge fan of the starting strokes format. This, to me, is a much simpler format to end the year. In order to qualify for this championship, you have to have a great year.”
The format and the entire PGA Tour model may change after the new CEO, Brian Rolapp, announced that Tiger Woods will chair the new Future Competition Committee. “The goal is not incremental change,” Rolapp declared. “The goal is significant change.”
East Lake represents the last chance for US players to impress Ryder Cup skipper Keegan Bradley before he announces his six wildcards next Wednesday. His European counterpart, Donald, has until September 1, and he’s keen to see how those close to the team perform in the final qualifying event at The Belfry, where Conor Purcell is the lone Irishman, and the non-counting Tour Championship.
“The top five who have already qualified [McIlroy, Robert MacIntyre, Tommy Fleetwood, Justin Rose and Tyrrell Hatton] all were in Rome,” he said.
“There are a bunch of other guys who are playing very well, high up on the points list. So very happy with the way things are going.
“Every Ryder Cup, there’s always a push by some people who have a good opportunity to claim their place on the Ryder Cup team. It’s a little bit of a headache for me sometimes, but a good headache.”
Leona Maguire plays the LPGA’s CPKC Women’s Open in Ontario, while Anna Foster, Annabel Wilson, Sara Byrne and Canice Screene play the LET’s Hills Open in Sweden.
On the HotelPlanner Tour, 23rd-ranked Liam Nolan and 27th-ranked Max Kennedy lead an 11-strong Irish challenge in The Dutch Futures in Spijk.
British Masters, 12.30pm
Tour Championship, 6pm
(Both on Sky Sports Golf)
