Shane Lowry continued his recent form this week with a tied sixth finish at the Memorial Tournament on the PGA TOUR, meaning he remains on the brink of the automatic spots in the European qualification race.
The Irishman currently sits in 10th position on the World Points List with 178.57 points and although his position in the rankings did not change, he did close in on the last automatic qualifier, Victor Perez, who has 187.37 points.
It would be the Irishman’s Ryder Cup debut should he make Pádraig Harrington’s team at Whistling Straits in September.
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Rounds of 69-71-72-70 saw Lowry finish as the top European at Muirfield Village Golf Club, a year after 2018 Ryder Cup star Jon Rahm’s victory at ‘Jack’s place’.
This tied sixth finish was Lowry’s third in four starts, after finishing in a tie for fourth at the US PGA Championship and in a tie for ninth at RBC Heritage on the PGA TOUR.
Alex Noren was the next best placed European, with the 2018 Ryder Cup-winning Swede finishing in a tie for 13th on three-under-par.
Bernd Wiesberger also moved into contention on the European Points List, with a tied 40th place finish at the Porsche European Open enough to move the Austrian, who recently defended his Made in HimmerLand presented by FREJA title, up one place into fifth with 3,687.73 points.
This means he is just 287.46 points short of Rory McIlroy, who holds the final qualifying place on the European Points List.
Not only would it be Wiesberger’s maiden appearance at the Ryder Cup, but he would also become the first Austrian to represent Team Europe at the Ryder Cup.
Paul Casey also jumped one place on the European Points List into eighth with 2,819.16 points after a respectable solo sixth place finish in his Porsche European Open title defence.
As it stands Rahm (5185.82 points), Tommy Fleetwood (4,911.26 points), Tyrrell Hatton (4,860.56 points) and McIlroy (3,975.19 points) fill the automatic places on the European Points List.
Viktor Hovland (245.06 points), Casey (236.91 points), Lee Westwood (226.98 points), Matthew Fitzpatrick (200.36 points) and Perez (187.37 points) currently occupy the World Points List spots.
Harrington will choose his three Captain’s Picks after the conclusion of the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth during the week of September 13, 2021.
