From Clara to Congressional

SHANE LOWRY can expect the thrill of a lifetime and a trial by fire this week as he makes his debut in the noisiest and most intimidating arena in golf.

Lowry (24) will get a heady first taste of the atmosphere and the action at the US Open today when he tees it up with Graeme McDowell for a practice round on the fearsome Blue Course at Congressional Country Club.

Having the reigning champion along to help with the introductions is a privilege that very few US Open rookies enjoy. Lowry explains: "Ah Graeme's great, he's very good to me.

"Obviously we're both part of Horizon (Sports Management) but he's a good friend as well. We're all staying in the same house this week, and stuff."

The US Open buzz started for Lowry from the moment he graduated with honours in second place at European sectional qualifying at Walton Heath, near London , last Monday week.

The Clara man grins as he recalls fellow qualifier Johan Edfors of Sweden shaking his hand and saying excitedly: "The atmosphere at the US Open is unbelievable. It's brilliant, like nothing you've ever experienced before."

Of course, Lowry has already enjoyed high drama on the golf course. Two years ago at Baltray it seemed as if the entire population of Offaly was singing and dancing in the rain after his seismic victory as an amateur at the 2009 Irish Open.

Lowry has matured both as man and golfer in two years as a professional on the European Tour , but his eyes were still wide with anticipation on arrival in Washington DC yesterday as he waited for this week's great adventure to begin.

C'MON FEEL THE NOISE!

LOWRY knows what it's like to perform in front of tens of thousands on Sunday at a Major ... to him, the roar of a packed gallery is pure oxygen.

Ordinary mortals might be intimidated by the thought of facing one of the largest and most raucous audiences in golf at Congressional this week, yet Lowry's an entertainer. He relishes it.

This is his first US Open but it's his third Major and his biggest thrill so far has been walking up 18 at St Andrews late on Sunday evening at the British Open. "Yeah, I'll never forget that," he recalls. "As we walked up that fairway, around 30,000 people were clapping. I turned to Dermot (Byrne, his caddie) and said 'not a bad place to be on a Sunday evening, eh.'

"Even with nobody there, playing St Andrews can give any golfer a chill, it's such a special place. But with all those people there ... for some reason, I just love playing in front of crowds.

See Glorious Gardens on your China Tour

The opinions expressed by the Pacific Delight Tours Bloggers and those providing comments are theirs alone, and do not reflect the opinions of the Pacific Delight Tours or any employee thereof. All data and information provided on this blog is for informational purposes only. This blog makes no representations as to accuracy, completeness, currentness, suitability, or validity of any information on this site and will not be liable for any errors, omissions, or delays in this information or any losses, injuries, or damages arising from its display or use. All information is provided on an as-is basis. When you wander into historic gardens as a part of your China vacation package, you will notice that Chinese gardens are not the same as American gardens. Many gardens in China are designed as classical gardens which are symbolically landscaped. Rather than simply showing of beautiful flowers, a classical Chinese garden is designed to encourage philosophical contemplation and connection to nature. In the Chinese tradition, such a garden is a place for spiritual or intellectual growth. Gardening became popular in China in the Jin Dynasty (265 – 420), although the height of classical gardening in such well-known garden centers as Suzhou was in the Ming (1368 – 1644) and Qing (1644 – 1912) dynasties. Throughout Chinese history, gardens served a variety of functions. Besides offering a connection to the natural world and philosophical stimulation, gardens also served as sites for feasts, grounds for hunting, locations for a collection of exotic animals, and areas for exhibiting native plants. On your China tour, you will notice similarities amongst different classical Chinese gardens. For example, many classical gardens involve extensive landscaping such as the building of earthen mounds, the installation of a variety of water features from ponds to fountains, the arrangement of stones, the construction of temples, and more, before plants even come into the picture. However, this is certainly not to say that all Chinese gardens are the same. If your China vacation package takes you to Suzhou, then you will have the opportunity to observe the unique qualities of dozens of preserved private gardens from the height of the popularity of Chinese classical gardening.

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