
Shane Lowry and Rory Mcilroy shared a significant hug after winning Mcilroy masters.
Getty Images
On Sunday of the masters, when Rory Mcilroy approached the end of his tearful, triumphant walk, he felt just right that the first player to do with a giant bear hug was his closest friend in PGA Tour, Shane Lowry.
Their friendship has been well documented from this point, recently and significantly in their team’s victory in 2024 Zurich Classic, their show at the 2024 Olympics and a complete shaky episode emphasizing the connection. But their connection lies behind about two decades; Consider that when Lowry won Irish Open as an amateur in 2009, Mcilroy was there waiting for him after the 18th Green. And so it was just that Mcilroy 2025 masters began with Lowry-ATA played the Par-3 competition with Tommy Fleetwood, another close friend-and ended up with him as well.
Lowry was, of course, ecstatic for his friend to win the masters, to end his great champion drought, to complete the Grand Slam career. That was all true. But she came in a particularly strange day in Lowry’s professional career.
“Yes, honestly was the strangest day ever to me,” Lowry said on Wednesday, about 10 days later, on the eve of the couple Zurich Classic Title protection.
Lowry had not just been a tournament participant, after all – he would be right in the mix. And on Saturday Master, Lowry had come out of the hot course; Bogeys back-back at 17 and 18 had followed his last round of green jacket much tougher. While Lowry is perfectly happy to be known as Mcilroy’s friend, he was understandable sprinkled with reporters eager to follow the topic at this particular moment.
“No, I won’t stay here and talk about Rory for 10 minutes,” he said in a press. “I’m trying to win the tournament.” “
Lowry’s Sunday left for a promising beginning, with first in 1 and Birdie at 2. But his chances in the green jacket sat alone from there. Bogey at 3. Double at 5. Bogey at 6. A group forward, he looked at as Justin Rose gathered the round of the day, a six under 66, adding his inner riots. Lowry’s back nine was even worse: four bogeys and one pair to complete an 81, the second highest result of the day. The result threw it off the top 40 and left it in a state of shock even when Mcilroy endured a round of it.
“I was out (the tour) for a long time and I was looking at the chart of the leader going around, then to enter, and first I have to deal with my disappointments,” Lowry said. “I actually went to the closet room for about 15 minutes just to collect my thoughts, I saw a little golf. I watched what you were doing there.”
But at the time Mcilroy sent Rose with a bird to the first Play off hole, Lowry had left behind his followers: he was a single ecstatic mind for his friend.
“I’m just happy for him. I know what he has gone through in the last, of course the last 10 years since Grand Slam was lit,” Lowry said. “The pressure made to him – not so much by him, but from everyone abroad he was pretty harsh and he had to deal with a lot of disappointment. So it was very good to see him do it.
“I think what everyone saw in the green of 18th that day was just pure relief. I was very happy for her.”
‘I could barely get out of bed’
Mcilroy and Lowry were affected in New Orleans on Tuesday night, some worse for ear after a whirlpool celebration tour that brought him to London, then northern Ireland and returned home to Florida, where he woke up on Monday, feeling firmly under weather.
“I could barely get out of bed; I felt so bad,” Mcilroy said. Celebrating an achievement of this size comes with some consequences and, inevitably, with an interruption. “But of course some amazing days have passed, but I am excited and happy to be here with my man, and we are looking forward to a great week and we are trying to protect,” he added.
To hear Mcilroy tell him, he always intended to fully honor this commitment-despite having spent the event of signing the big money last week, RBC Heritage. Lowry was less safe; He admitted that while looking at Mcilroy’s date with Destiny in Augusta, he was not sure if the plans would change suddenly.
“I told my cadi in the 15th hole in Augusta, I definitely became (racing to win), so I was looking at the driver’s table, and I think (Rory) had probably done double in 13, and I said to Darren,” no matter what the next holes happen, I think we will do well to reach it in New Orleans. ” NO Go his way, I don’t think he would like to be (in Zurich), and I thought if things done Go on his way, he would like to be elsewhere. But I’m happy he is here. ”
Once during Sunday holidays, Lowry pleaded with the topic.
“This was one of the things he told me that night, like,” Are you still wanting to come and play Zurich? “,” Mcilroy said. “And I said,” absolutely “. We’re defending a title.
‘I don’t think i will ever have to play a more difficult round of golf in my life’
There is a festive nuance for this week for the duo, which returns to last year’s victory. There is now a celebration air for the whole of 2025-not just because of the triumph of Mcilroy’s green jackets, but because the Golf world will turn to Royal Portrush for its crowning achievement in OPEN 2019.
“I think Rory’s goals are – who cares anymore?” Lowry withdrew. “But no, the return to the portrait will be unbelievable. Rory return as the master champion will now get some heat from me again, so I’m very happy with that. It will be a great tour.”
This will be a week with lower pressure than the last; Most likely each week will be lower pressure than the last. “I don’t think I will ever have to play a more difficult round of golf in my life,” he said. But Mcilroy called Zurich “the perfect tour” with “the perfect atmosphere” to organize his return.
And along with the perfect partner.
“>>

Dylan dethier
Golfit.com editor
Dylan Dothier is an elderly writer for Golf Magazine/Golf.com. Native Williamstown, Mass. Dothier is a graduate of Williams College, where he graduated in English, and he is the author of 18 in Americawhich details last year as an 18-year-old living out of his car and playing a round of golf in every state.