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Shane Lowry hopes to cap an impressive season by successfully defending his Portugal Masters crown this week.
The Clara man captured his second European Tour event at Oceânico Victoria Golf Course 12 months ago - his first as a professional - and has continued to impress this season with five top-ten finishes, including a share of third at the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship on his last appearance.
Lowry, who has not missed a cut since February, now wants to consolidate that consistency with another victory.
“Obviously said of his win last year. “It was three and a half years since I'd won the Irish Open, so it had been a while since I won anything.
“I had quite a few good finishes, but to get that first win as a pro was great. I feel like I've kicked on a little bit this year. I feel like I've put myself in position more times than not to win this year and it's been good for me.
“I probably should have won at the Dunhill (Links Championship). I gave myself a great chance. I'm playing quite well recently, so I'm coming here in good form and really looking forward to this week.
“You obviously want to be in with a chance going into Sunday, and within two or three of the lead on the back nine on Sunday. All of a sudden if you can post a good nine holes you are the winner.
“I was the one leading going into the back nine on Sunday at the Dunhill and didn't really do it from there, but I gave myself a great chance. At Gleneagles I gave myself a good chance, I was in the third last group at the Dutch Open. I feel like I've been pushing to win tournaments this year, and I just learn from every week and one of these weeks when I give myself a chance, I'm sure I'll pull it off.
“You need to learn how to win. You need to learn how to compete at the highest level. It's like a step up in the Majors; you need to learn how to play in the Majors.
“It's just all about building experience and going from there. You learn to be comfortable, when you see your name on the leaderboard on a Sunday afternoon, it's hard. It's hard to not get ahead of yourself and not think about winning. You just have to take it one shot at a time and keep it going from there.”
He added: “I love the place, love the course: it's hard not to think I think I have a chance of winning this week. But I need just to focus on one round ahead of me."
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