Shane Lowry is more than happy to share the spotlight, or even give up most of it to Rory McIlroy when the pair arrive at Royal Portrush in July for the 153rd Open Championship.
Lowry will be the defending course champion after his sensational win on the Dunluce Links in 2019 while McIlroy will receive a hero’s welcome in front of 278,000 spectators as a career grand slam winner and both players may arrive with more silverware with the US PGA and US Open to come before their jaunt at the Claret Jug.
“He (Rory) can take it easy for a while. But no, going back to Portrush is going to be incredible. Rory going back as the Masters champion now is going to take a little bit of heat off me again, so I’m pretty happy with that,” Lowry explained ahead of the Zurich Classic, a team event which he and McIlroy are the defending champions.
“It’s going to be a great tournament. I think I seen something yesterday where 278,000 people are going to attend the Open this year at Portrush. I think a million people applied for tickets. It’s going to be an incredible event, and I’m just going to be happy to be a part of it.”
Last year Lowry and McIlroy won this team event in dramatic circumstances in a playoff. It was a pick me up for McIlroy who had struggled at the Masters just a few weeks before while it was Lowry’s first win since the 2022 BMW PGA at Wentworth after he initially had a difficult start to his 2024.
The Offaly man is yet to add to that title twelve months on and despite reaching the Tour Championship for the first time last year and climbing to a career high 12th in the world this season, he is desperate for a victory to justify his excellent form.
“As a pro golfer, you want to get wins. You don’t want place finishes. But I feel like my golf has been pretty consistent. I’m in a decent position in the FedExCup and am moving up the World Rankings. I’m happy where I’m at, but I kind of need to be patient from here.
“I put myself in a decent position at Augusta a couple weeks ago but sort of had a poor last 20 holes. I was very happy with how the whole week went up until kind of the back nine on Sunday.
“But I think, yeah, I’m looking forward to the rest of the year. Obviously I’m here. I’m happy we’re here. I wasn’t sure –obviously when Rory did what he did a couple weeks ago, I wasn’t sure how things were going to pan out, so I’m happy we’re here and I’m looking forward to a great week.”
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