Shane Lowry will defend his title at the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational later this month, a decision that means the Irishman will miss out on a potential bounty of Ryder Cup points at the Open de France.
Lowry earned his first PGA Tour victory last year at Firestone Country Club, winning by two shots over Bubba Watson. The title brought with it a three-year PGA Tour membership, but it also left Lowry with a difficult decision for one of the most divisive weeks of the summer schedule.
The European Tour did not appreciate that the PGA Tour scheduled its WGC event during the same week as the Open de France, which will be celebrating its centennial anniversary this summer.