Former Open champion Shane Lowry has expressed his determination to double his major tally and join the list of Irish winners at Royal Liverpool.
Rory McIlroy won the Open the last time it was staged in Hoylake in 2014, while Fred Daly lifted the Claret Jug at the same venue in 1947 and Joe Carr claimed the Amateur Championship in 1953.
Lowry’s own Open triumph came on home soil at Royal Portrush in 2019 and the 36-year-old has been quietly rounding into form with top-20 finishes in his last three starts.
“I really struggled on the greens at the start of the year and then around the end of May I turned the corner and started to see a few going in again,” Lowry told the PA news agency.
“In the last few tournaments I’ve had days where I’ve felt really good on the greens. It’s not a nice place to be when you’re not holing any so it has been very encouraging.”
Lowry carded a closing 65 at Hoylake in 2014 to register his first top 10 in a major and contended in the 2021 US PGA Championshp and last year’s Masters.
“Since Portrush I feel like my major performances have been pretty good,” he added.
“I’ve given myself a couple of half chances here and there and I’ve had some nice finishes. I love the big weeks, it’s what I play the game for. It’s what gets me going and I get very excited going into major weeks.”
Is there anything new for 2023?
The 17th is a brand new par three which features an “infinity green” that offers views of the Dee Estuary, but which is protected by run-off areas and deep bunkers which could lead to some high scores. The creation of the hole has also allowed for a re-routing of the closing stretch to include two par fives over 600 yards and the 136-yard 17th.
Key tee times
0635 – Matthew Jordan, Richie Ramsay, Branden Grace.0947 – Tommy Fleetwood, Scottie Scheffler, Adam Scott.0958 – Cameron Smith, Wyndham Clark, Xander Schauffele.1459 – Rory McIlroy, Jon Rahm, Justin Rose.1616 – Hurly Long, Seungsu Han, Marco Penge.
Weather forecast
Mostly sunny with a small chance of the odd light morning shower. Dry with prolonged sunshine from midday. Moderate west to northwesterly winds with gusts of 15-20mph from late morning.
