Back in 2005, golf coach and instructor Pete Cowen was called down to Dublin to throw his eye over Irish golf’s next crop.
An Irish squad, full of the top teenage prospects, had been assembled for some coaching and support sessions.
Cowen knew full well that teen sensation Rory McIlroy would be at the mini camp but another golfer, some 18 months older, caught his eye.
It was a tap-in prediction for Cowen to say McIlroy would go on to do great deeds, and win majors. He was impressed with Shane Lowry too, or as he called him then – ‘the little fat kid with glasses on’.
Shane Lowry watches his tee shot from the Par 4 12th hole during the East of Ireland Golf Championship, in 2007. (Credit: Paul Mohan / SPORTSFILE)After signing off his open championship, and finishing 57th, Portrush native McDowell said:
“Pete tells an amazing story. He went to the Irish squad training down in Dublin and the guy said, ‘Who do you like?’
“And he obviously said, ‘Rory McIlroy looks pretty good, but that slightly overweight kid with the glasses on’ – who was Shane Lowry at the time – ‘he looks good’. So he’s always been talented.”
McDowell, who has teamed up with Lowry for World Cup events, and partied with him in Portrush on Sunday night, recalled a fine tale involving their first encounter.
“I remember the first day I met him,” McDowell began.
“I just shot 61 at Baltray the week he won. And he came in and shot 62, and he didn’t even introduce himself, he said, ‘I can’t believe you beat me by one out there today’. And I’m like, ‘Who’s this kid?’
“But we’ve become very good friends. I’ve always respected his game so much because he’s very ballsy. He’s a phenomenal driver of the ball. He’s maybe the best chipper I’ve ever seen. Apart from Phil Mickelson, I don’t know anyone who chips as good as him.
“I played a few holes in practice with him Tuesday and Wednesday and he’s flipping lobbers off the fringes. I’m kind of laughing at him. That’s the way he plays practice rounds. He might need his lobber here in the next few hours, let’s put it that way.”
“He’s a great kid,” McDowell added. “He’d be a great Open Champion.”
Within the hour, as McDowell looked on, Lowry became that Open champion and fulfilled Pete Cowen’s prophecy.
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