Ryder Cup: 'I'll have a big part to play' - Lowry relishing Ryder Cup debut

Ryder Cup debutant Shane Lowry is confident of playing a major role for Europe "when push comes to shove" at Whistling Straits.

The 34-year-old Irishman, who was one of captain Padraig Harrington's three picks, is relishing the challenge of taking on a strong American team.

"I do believe that I can bring a lot when it comes to it on Friday, Saturday and Sunday." said Lowry.

"I'm excited to get out there competing and hopefully winning points."

He added: "Anybody that's known me, my friends and family back home, my team, anybody that's been involved with me over the last 10 years knows how much I really wanted to be here, and I'm here now, and it's just everything I expected and more.

"I'm very proud of myself of what I've achieved to get here, but obviously I want to be here and I want to win points."

Pick of the bunch

The former Open champion just missed out on automatic selection for the European team and joined Sergio Garcia and Ian Poulter as a captain's pick.

Lowry does not feel this brings added pressure as he prepares to join a long list of Irish players to have played in the biennial competition.

"You can't feel any more pressure than there's probably going to be out there on Friday, Saturday and Sunday," he said,

"You're playing for your team, you're playing for your continent, we're playing for the European Tour. We're playing for a whole lot of things. Obviously I'm a captain's pick, but look, I was very close to making the team. I was first man out - I felt like I deserved a pick.

"I feel like I deserve to be here, so if I didn't feel like I deserved to be here it would probably be a bit different, but I really feel like I deserve to be here. I'm just excited for the week ahead.

"You obviously want to win majors and you want to compete at the highest level and golf for the most part is an individual sport, but as a European player, as an Irish player growing up, you've watched Ryder Cups, obviously Christy Junior, Philip Walton, Eamonn Darcy, Rory, G-Mac, Paddy, Paul, Darren, all the great Irish players that have played the game.

"For me it was something that I really wanted to do and I felt like I had to do, if I want to be up there with those guys when you're talking about really good or great Irish golfers. As an Irish player growing up, playing a Ryder Cup is just right up there with everything.

"It's something that I felt like I let slip in 2016 and I should have made that team. I didn't play great towards the end of that campaign. When I got my chance this year, I felt like I really wanted to take it. Obviously now that I'm here, there's only one goal for the rest of the week, and that's to win."