Shane Lowry was not pleased with reporters as they opened his press conference with a question about his drinking.
Lowry claimed victory at Royal Portrush back in 2019, and made sure to party in true style after the win.
The former champion's irritation was evident as he faced immediate reminders of his week-long festivities in Dublin on Monday, which included well-documented nights out and social media posts.
The Ryder Cup player appeared eager to shift focus away from his party reputation and onto his golf ahead of this week's championship at the Northern Irish venue.
Reuters
|Shane Lowry was not pleased with reporters focusing on his drinking
"That's an interesting first question, isn't it? We're here to talk about golf and all anybody wants to talk about is drinking," the 38-year-old responded when asked about his famous celebrations following his 2019 triumph.
Lowry confessed to an embarrassing oversight during his first return to Portrush last September, failing to visit a 25-foot mural commemorating his Open victory.
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"I'll be completely honest, we were in a rush leaving Portrush, and we totally forgot about going in to see it!" he admitted.
The painting, which depicts Lowry hoisting the Claret Jug, adorns an entire house wall near the course.
The Irishman revealed they were "ten miles down the road" before realising their mistake whilst heading to the Irish Open at County Down.
"We suddenly realised we didn't get a picture of me standing in front of it, which we'd fully intended to do," he said.
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The Irishman is well known for celebrating in style
Despite his defensive stance, Lowry acknowledged his enjoyment of celebrating victories, pointing to his 2022 BMW PGA Championship win at Wentworth where he partied with pop star Niall Horan.
"Golf's a funny game where you lose more than you win, so when you win you need to enjoy those victories," he explained.
The golfer insisted his drinking habits are misunderstood, stating: "I'll let people believe what they want to believe. The people close to me know what I'm like.
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"I do enjoy it from time to time but I know when I need to put my head down. You can't be at the top of any sport unless you apply yourself."
Currently ranked 18th globally, Lowry has struggled to recapture his 2019 magic, with disappointing major championship performances this season including a tied 42nd at The Masters and missed cuts at both the US Open and PGA Championship.
Reuters
|The mural near to the course celebrating Shane Lowry's win
"I've spent six years trying to work that out," he reflected on his inability to replicate his Portrush success.
The Irishman theorised that poor practice rounds might be key to his performance, explaining: "Here in 2019, I had a meltdown because I felt like I wasn't going to play well but that focuses me.
"If I get my complacency away and my expectations down, I'm at my best. I played well the last two days so that's not good. I just need to play s**t for a few days and everything will be alright."