Irishman Shane Lowry has refocused his sights on Olympic gold after a second major near miss of the year.
A sixth-place finish at the Open, a repeat of his US PGA Championship in May where Claret Jug winner Xander Schauffele also triumphed, proved to be another frustration but the 37-year-old is looking to bounce back quickly.
Lowry will travel to Paris next week where he will represent Ireland at the Olympics along with Rory McIlroy, who endured a much worse week at Royal Troon and failed to make the cut.
“Onwards and upwards and onto the Olympics and try to win a medal for Ireland and get on from there,” said Lowry about how he would move on from his Open disappointment having led the tournament by two strokes at the halfway stage.
“I’m playing good golf and I’d love to win a medal. Obviously I’d want it to be gold, but I’d probably take either three.
“I’m very excited about it. Obviously Le Golf National is going to be a great test and a great course and that medal isn’t going to be around your neck until you’re finished on that 18th green at that place.”
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Lowry would have liked to be going there with the Claret Jug, not just because that would have elevated his status to two-time major winner but because it would meant he would return to Royal Portrush in Northern Ireland next year – where he won the Open in 2019 – as defending champion.
Going back as an Olympic medallist would provide some consolation.
“Honestly all week, the way I was playing, I thought I’m going to be going back to Portrush with the Claret Jug. That would be pretty cool,” he added.
“I’m sure going back to Portrush will have its challenges next year for me with some demands and people are going to be talking about me a little bit more than they were in 2019.
“Who knows between now and then what’s going to happen. We have a lot of good golf to play.
“Hopefully I’ll be going back, you never know, as an Olympic medallist or a major champion.”
Fellow one-time major winner and Ryder Cup team-mate Matt Fitzpatrick is also looking to get something out of a disappointing season in Paris.
The Sheffield golfer has not finished higher than 22nd in the majors this year and since his 2022 US Open win he has had only one top-10.
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“It’s something different, something I haven’t done before, so I’m definitely looking forward to it (Olympics),” said the Yorkshireman, who has not finished higher than fifth on the PGA Tour this year.
“It would probably be right under there, just under a major. It’s not something that golf has put on the calendar at the start of the year that’s a must.
“The four majors are number one, and then probably you look at the Race to Dubai, FedEx title, that’s number two, as well as The Players and the BMW at Wentworth.
“I wouldn’t say it’s always been high on a golfer’s agenda, but this year it is.”
