Open champion Shane Lowry heaps praise on Edinburgh coach Neil Manchip

Neil Manchip (left) with Shane Lowry during the Open at Royal Portrush

Former Turnhouse member Manchip has been Lowry’s swing guru since he first started teaching him as the Irish national coach based at Carton House, near Dublin.

He’s been at Lowry’s side every step of the way in his professional career, seeing their work together hit new heights as the Clara man claimed the Claret Jug at Royal Portrush in July.

Speaking as he prepared for this week’s Alfred Dunhill Links Championship on Scottish soil, world No 20 Lowry heaped praise on Manchip.

“If people were to ask me who has been the biggest influence on my professional career, I would say Neil,” he told the Edinburgh Evening News.

“Not only is he a great coach for me, he’s just a great person to have around. He’s one of my best friends. And, no matter what happens, he will always be part of my team because he’s a really good person to have around.

“He’s so laid back, he’s very positive. I can’t emphasise enough how good he is to have in your camp. I owe a lot to him and I think the relationship we have formed over the years, the way I play golf and the way I go about my practice, I think he understands it.

“I feel that if a different coach had got his hands on me when I was younger, it might have been different. I feel very lucky to have met Neil around 15 years go.”

Under Manchip’s watch as national coach, Irish golfers have enjoyed some notable successes in recent years, including no fewer than five players making the GB&I team for the 2015 Walker Cup at Royal Lytham.

“Absolutely not,” replied Lowry to being asked if he thought his coach might move back to Scotland one day. “He’s lived in Ireland longer than he has lived in Scotland.

“He’s not far off getting an Irish passport… and he wanted to be Irish on Sunday (when they were hammering Scotland in the Rugby World Cup) anyway, I know that!”