Shane Lowry moved into the final qualifying place on the World Points List after a tied 16th finish at the 149th Open Championship, which was won by America’s Collin Morikawa.
Rounds of 71-65-69-69 capped a strong defence of the Irishman’s Major title which he won at Royal Portrush Golf Club in 2019, while also boosting him into the final automatic place on the World Points List, previously occupied by Victor Perez, on 206.60 points.
Lowry has been in consistent form in 2021, with his best result coming at the U.S. PGA Championship where he finished in a tie for fourth, with further top ten finishes coming at The PLAYERS Championship, the RBC Heritage and the Memorial Tournament on the PGA TOUR.
Should Lowry make Captain Pádraig Harrington’s team at Whistling Straits, it will be his maiden appearance on Team Europe.
Click here to see the full rankings.
The highest placed European at Royal St. George’s this week was Jon Rahm, who finished in a tie for third with South Africa’s Louis Oosthuizen on 11-under-par.
The Spaniard has not finished outside the top eight at the Majors this year, with his U.S. Open victory accompanied by a tied fifth finish at the Masters Tournament, a tied eighth finish at the U.S. PGA Championship and a tied third finish at The Open.
Rahm leads both the European Points List (10,122.82 points) and the World Points List (668.94 points) and looks a cert to make Harrington’s team in September for his second Ryder Cup appearance after an impressive debut in 2018.
The Masters: T5
— Ryder Cup Europe (@RyderCupEurope) July 18, 2021
PGA Champs: T8
U.S. Open: 🏆
The Open: T3@JonRahmpga’s Major record this year is pretty impressive. pic.twitter.com/8i5k0pivD1
Meanwhile, Robert MacIntyre did his chances of a Ryder Cup debut no harm as he finished in a tie for eighth, after rounds of 72-69-65-67, to move into ninth place on the European Points List (3,466.57 points) and 11th place on the World Points List (172.79 points).
In two appearances at The Open, the Scot has never finished outside the top eight, while another player aiming to make their debut at Whistling Straits, Norway’s Viktor Hovland, also put in a solid display on his Open debut.
The recent European Tour winner moved up one spot on the World Points List and will currently qualify in the second automatic spot on 315.06 points after a tied 12th finish at The Open.
Should Hovland feature for Team Europe at Whistling Straits, he will become the first Norwegian golfer to appear at the Ryder Cup.
Finally, Matt Fitzpatrick replaced Rory McIlroy – who now qualifies via the World Points List – in the last automatic qualifying spot on the European Points List.
Rounds of 71-69-67-70 were good enough to see the 2016 Ryder Cup debutant collect enough points to occupy the fourth qualifying spot.
As it stands Rahm (10,122.82 points), Tommy Fleetwood (5,400.32 points), Tyrrell Hatton (5,045.96 points) and Fitzpatrick (4,589.90 points) fill the automatic places on the European Points List.
McIlroy (388.31 points), Hovland (315.06 points), Paul Casey (287.69 points), Lee Westwood (239.53 points) and Shane Lowry (206.60 points) currently occupy the World Points List spots.
Pádraig Harrington will decide on his three Captain’s Picks after the conclusion of the BMW PGA Championship – the third Rolex Series event of the season - at Wentworth Golf Club during the week of September 13, 2021.
