“I don’t think much of my game needs to improve, except for maybe being a better version of myself. I’ll try and stay positive for the week and see what happens.” That was Shane Lowry‘s self-assessment ahead of his quest to add a second Claret Jug to his trophy cabinet.The Irish golfer parted ways with caddie Darren Reynolds after the US Open at Shinnecock Hills last month and has re-employed Dermot Byrne, his old bagman, for this midsummer part of the season. If things go well, it could potentially become a more permanent arrangement.Lowry is aiming to rediscover the mojo of the early part of the season when he was in contention regularly. Back-to-back missed cuts at the Arnold Palmer Invitational and The Players were the first clear speed bumps. They followed his near-miss in the Cognizant, where he was runner-up.The Open stirs the senses like few – if any – other tournaments. “It’s still there,” says Lowry. “The love and the desire for the whole thing is still there, and the want. I would probably argue that the want is maybe there a little bit too much. “It’s easy to start trying too hard. But I’ve done a lot of work on everything over the last few weeks and it’ll be interesting to see how this week goes.”Aldrich Potgieter got the nod to participate in the Open Championship at Royal Birkdale on the back of Louis Oosthuizen's withdrawal. Photograph: Michael Reaves/Getty Images Potgieter’s Open reprieveOne man’s misfortune is another’s good fortune, even if – in this case – it was a case of one Springbok helping another.Aldrich Potgieter had competed in the Open Championship’s last-chance qualifier on Monday without managing to secure the final exemption. However, he subsequently got into the field on the back of Louis Oosthuizen’s withdrawal due to injury.Oosthuizen has been forced to withdraw from both the Open and next week’s LIV event. He explained on social media: “It’s incredibly disappointing to miss two events I always look forward to, but my priority now is to focus on my recovery and make sure I’m fully fit before returning to competition.”As first alternate, Potgieter – ranked 83rd in the world – got the call. Champion to pocket €2.8mWhoever lifts the Claret Jug on the 18th green come Sunday evening will also win a financial dividend of $3.2 million (€2.8 million) for his efforts. The R&A has confirmed the purse for the 154th edition of the championship remains largely in line with last year’s prize fund.The total purse available is $17.75 million (€15.5 million). The prize money is announced in US dollars. The top 70 players and ties will make the cut after 36 holes. If more than 70 professionals qualify for the final two rounds, additional prize money will be added.Aside from the financial rewards, the champion will receive the Claret Jug and a gold medal, while the leading amateur – who does not receive any prize money – will be presented with the silver medal. Any other amateur who competes in the final round will be awarded a bronze medal.Billy Foster, caddie to Matthew Southgate, looks on during a practice round prior to the Open Championship at Royal Birkdale in England. Photograph: Andrew Redington/Getty Images Southgate teams up with veteran caddieVeteran caddie Billy Foster has answered the call from Matthew Southgate to carry his bag at Royal Birkdale.Southgate came through qualifying to earn his place in the field. He then reached out to Foster – who has caddied for Seve Ballesteros, Lee Westwood and Matthew Fitzpatrick among others – to guide him around the links.Foster caddied for Fitzpatrick when the Englishman won the US Open at Brookline in 2022 but, more recently, has returned to carry the bag of Westwood on the LIV circuit.Number: 57It is 57 years since an Englishman won the Open on English soil, dating back to Tony Jacklin’s success at Royal Lytham and St Annes in 1969. Can the drought end? This time, there are 21 English players in the field – top-ranked by world No 3 Matt Fitzpatrick – seeking to end the wait.Quote-Unquote“After the PGA I received a handwritten letter from Jack Nicklaus, which was kind of surreal when we opened the mail. For someone like that to take the time to write to me after the PGA, it definitely shows the class of what Jack is about.” – Aaron Rai on receiving a letter from the Golden Bear after his US PGA Championship win at Aronimink in Philadelphia.