Shane Lowry is hopeful his experience in the "art" of links golf can help him claim a first individual win in four years at the Amgen Irish Open.
The home hero has been an ever-present among the world's best since his victory at the 2019 Open and while his last solo victory came at the 2022 BMW PGA Championship, since then he has won the Zurich Classic of New Orelans alongside Rory McIlroy, been on two victorious Ryder Cup teams and finished second three times.
He announced himself to the world at his home open 17 years ago, winning on his debut as an amateur and he has played in every edition since, finishing in the top 15 for the last four seasons.
Trump International Golf Links & Hotel, Ireland, Doonbeg is a new venue for both the event and the DP World Tour but Lowry is hopeful he can use his experience to his advantage.
"It's certainly not a disadvantage," he said of playing links golf. "You know, clearly we don't play a lot of links golf, at all, throughout the year.
"But I do think there is an art to playing links golf. I was doing an outing in Lahinch yesterday and hitting a five iron from 130 yards, it's hard to get your head around that. There's people that might struggle to do that, and... there's kind of an art to that.
"But I think professional golf at the top level like you have here at Doonbeg here this week, everyone is pretty good and everyone will figure it out.
"Yeah there will be guys that will struggle in the conditions this week, but most guys will be all right. But you know, it's certainly not a disadvantage.
"The Irish Open is one of the tournaments at the start of the year that you kind of circle in your calendar. I think this is my 18th one. I think I've played every one since 2009. It's great to come home. It's great to come to some great golf courses around Ireland. It's great to compete at home and try and go out there and win your national open.
"If you had asked me when I was a kid growing up, would I even compete in double-digit Irish Opens, I'd probably have taken your hand off."
While victory may have proved elusive in what Lowry describes as a "nearly" season, the 39-year-old has enough experience to know that he has to "ride the wave" in a golfing career.
In 53 weeks that wave may bring him back to his homeland when the Ryder Cup is played at Adare Manor.
Lowry has been on the last three European teams, holing the putt which ensured Luke Donald's men retained the trophy in New York last year.
And he is desperate to make it four in a row and achieve that rare feat of representing your home continent in your home country.
"It doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out that a lot of my goals over the next 12 months are going to be revolving around one thing and that's going to be part of a winning Ryder Cup team at Adare," he said.
"When it got announced as Adare Manor, the Ryder Cup, in 2027, it's something that I looked at and it would be very, very special to play a Ryder Cup at home. I know a home one is in Europe but an Irish home Ryder Cup would be very special. I was at the one at The K Club on the Friday, and yeah, gives me goosebumps even just thinking about it.
"So a lot of the reason why can I get out of bed over the next 12 months will be working towards that. I'm looking forward to the challenge of trying to make the team and then trying to win.
"I think the Americans are going to come strong next year. I think they are going to be coming at us trying to... we've been pretty good the last couple of years. I think they have got some something to come for next year and I think I'd love to be part of the team that tries to fend them off."
