| Venue: Royal St George’s Date: 15-18 July |
| Coverage: Daily live text from 06:30 BST, Radio 5 Live from 12:00 and highlights on BBC Two at 20:00 |
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Defending Open champion Shane Lowry says he is in the entertainment business and will be buoyed by the presence of fans at Royal St George’s.
Up to 32,000 spectators will be allowed in each day for this week’s 149th Open as part of a government test event.
Lowry won his sole major in front of a partisan crowd at Royal Portrush in Northern Ireland in 2019, with last year’s cancelled because of Covid-19.
“Playing in front of fans does it for me,” said the Irishman.
“Not playing in front of fans doesn’t do it for me. That’s just the way it is.
“I think I struggled last year coming out of lockdown. I was playing great. I’ve never played as much golf in my life, and I just was stale when I got out there. I just couldn’t get it going.
“Even little things, like if you’re struggling to make a cut or if you’re down at the bottom of the field, having people out there on the golf course kind of spurs you on a little bit.
“We’re in the entertainment business when we’re out there, and when I have a difficult shot or when I’m stuck behind a tree or I have a tough up-and-down, I’m trying to almost show off a little bit.”
Lowry’s six-shot victory in 2019 almost feels like it hails from a different era, one where thousands of jubilant fans flooded the fairway as he strode towards the 18th green and continued to chant his name as he attempted to conduct his post-round media duties.
The cancellation of last year’s Open because of the Covid pandemic means the 34-year-old has faced a long wait to defend his title, with Europe’s Ryder Cup captain Padraig Harrington the last player to successfully do so when he won at Royal Birkdale in 2008.
More than 100,000 spectators are expected to line the Kent course throughout the four days to see if Lowry can emulate his compatriot, though no one has managed the feat at Royal St George’s since Harry Vardon claimed the third of his six Open victories there in 1899.
“I’m happy to be here in some sort of a normal capacity with regards to having quite a few people out on the golf course,” added Lowry. “Not having the Open last year was obviously disappointing because you want to play in the biggest tournaments year in, year out.
“Coming back here and having the big grandstands and having the crowds out there and everything that comes along with the Open Championship, I think that’s going to be pretty cool this week.”
Lowry added that he is looking forward to being announced as defending champion when he walks on to the first tee on Thursday, but is heading into the tournament with “an open mind”.
“I’ve defended tournaments before, but I’ve never come and defended a tournament of this magnitude,” he said. “Everything that happens for me this week is kind of new.
“Obviously there’s going to be high pressure at certain stages – you want to go out there and do as best you can. I’ve got a lot more on my mind, a lot more to play for than just defending the trophy.”
Article courtesy of BBC Sport
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