BMW PGA Championship: Shane Lowry and Justin Rose seeking final Ryder Cup push at Wentworth

Shane Lowry currently in automatic qualifying position for Ryder Cup and aiming to repel challengers; Justin Rose focused on 'Plan A' which requires a victory at Wentworth; watch the BMW PGA Championship live on Sky Sports Golf with Featured Group coverage from 8.30am on Thursday

Shane Lowry discusses his mindset going into the BMW PGA Championship and why he believes he should be considered for a Ryder Cup pick, should he fall out of the automatic qualification places at Wentworth

Shane Lowry is in the ninth and final qualifying position for the European Ryder Cup team and admits he will be under additional pressure at this week's BMW PGA Championship.

Padraig Harrington's team to face the United States will be finalised after the Rolex Series event at Wentworth with the nine automatic qualifiers joined by the Irishman's three captain's picks.

Lowry's automatic place is under threat from Bernd Wiesberger, Victor Perez and Robert MacIntyre, but the 2019 Open champion is determined to keep them at bay.

"Probably a few people [are] gunning for me this week but I'm in a great position," said Lowry. "I've worked very hard this year to get there. I've spent definitely the last five, six years trying to make a Ryder Cup team. So I feel like I've got a great opportunity this week and looking forward to going out and trying to do it.

"I feel like I've played some really good golf over the last while and my form is good, so it will be interesting to see how it all plays out.

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"Go back to the old golf cliches, I can only look after myself and one shot at a time and all that stuff, and try to shoot the best scores I can and have the best week I can.

Former Ryder Cup captain Paul McGinley thinks Shane Lowry could lose his automatic place in this year's team to Bernd Wiesberger - but would expect the Irishman to be chosen as a wildcard in any case

"If there's a week that I'm coming to try and perform, Wentworth is one of the places I like to play. So hopefully I can go out and perform well this week."

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Lowry's compatriot Leona Maguire was a sensation for Europe on her Solheim Cup debut with four and a half points as Catriona Matthew's side retained the trophy on Monday and Lowry would love to emulate her if he does make his Ryder Cup bow at Whistling Straits.

Leona Maguire was joined by her sister Lisa as she celebrated Europe's Solheim Cup victory - sending a message home that 'you'll never beat the Irish'

"Obviously I need to go ahead and make the team first this weekend, but I want to go and have as big an impact as I can," said the 34-year-old. "I want to go and win points if I'm there and do all that type of stuff.

"So, like Leona literally had the dream week last week, didn't she? She won the Solheim Cup for Europe last week, and I'd give anything to have the opportunity to go and do that in a couple of weeks."

Ian Poulter says he is feeling good ahead of the BMW PGA Championship and he also spoke about his Ryder Cup prospects

Rose: It's win or bust

Justin Rose could snatch a Ryder Cup place from Lowry but needs to win at Wentworth on Sunday, otherwise, the 41-year-old Englishman will be relying on a captain's pick.

Rose, who has an excellent Ryder Cup record with 14 points from his five appearances, has struggled for form in recent months but has not given up hope of claiming his first victory since January 2019.

He said: "I do still have a road into the team and I may as well focus on that being Wednesday, it's the clear objective and it's an easy objective and it's win or bust and I'm not relying on other results and things like that. So yeah, that's Plan A."

Image: Justin Rose was in a jovial mood during the pro-am at Wentworth on Wednesday

As for Plan B and the possibility of being one of Harrington's three wildcards: "To show enough form that I'm playing well and can be relied upon. At that point, you hope that your record speaks for yourself and your experience in the tournament and the fact that you've been a valuable team member in the past and that's Plan B.

"I haven't played great for a couple of years and it's a two-year process to get into this tournament. That's the way it is. I feel upbeat about where I'm at and upbeat about my long-term objectives and Ryder Cup is a goal always.

"Where I've been has not been that much fun for 18 months, and the situation I'm in, the Ryder Cup is a by-product of those 18 months, but I don't feel like it has a huge bearing on my run coming up."

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