Shane Lowry and Rory McIlroy often travel to and from tournaments together but the former admitted to fans at The Open Championship that he was not in the best of moods on one journey
Shane Lowry revealed how he was “p***ed off” after losing to Rory McIlroy at the Pebble Beach Pro-Am in California. But Lowry admitted that he had to fake his feelings as he was hitching a ride home with his good friend immediately after that defeat.
The two golfers and their families spend plenty of time together away from the course due to living within a mile of each other in Florida. That means they regularly travel together to and from tournaments.
But that proved awkward on at least one occasion, namely when McIlroy pipped Lowry to victory in California back in February. The former made an eagle and five birdies in a spectacular final round of 66 to finish 21 under par. Meanwhile, playing partner Lowry birdied the 18th to secure outright second on 19 under.
Lowry recalled that journey back to Florida after the tournament during an R&A event at The Open at Portrush. He said: “The odd time we’ve played against each other on Sundays… the last time was at Pebble earlier this year.”
He added while smiling: “He beat me, so I was obviously p***ed off about that. I had to pretend to be happy for him because he was giving me a lift home!”
The 38-year-old Dubliner believes their friendship has allowed the two golf stars to take positive traits from each other over the years, saying: “I feel like we’re good for each other. Rory’s obviously very serious about his golf.
“He works very hard and I’ve seen that over the years. I’ve brought some of that into my game. He sees the way I am and brings some of that into himself. I feel like we’re very good for each other. We go way back.
“Our wives are really good friends, our kids are similar ages. We all hang out together, we live a mile from each other in Florida. It just so happens that… well, he’s really good at golf, I’m OK.”
Lowry faced a tough first two rounds at Portrush, initially having been optimistic ahead of returning to the course where he clinched The Open title six years prior. He suffered a blow in the form of a two-stroke penalty incurred for inadvertently causing his ball to move on a practice swing on the 12th hole on Friday.
Lowry insisted he did not see the ball move and was “disappointed” with the decision but decided not to contest it. As a result, he finished his second round on level par, just inside the cut line.
He said: “The last thing I want to do is sit there and argue and not take the penalty and then get slaughtered all over social media tonight for being a cheat.
“I’m disappointed that they don’t have more camera angles on it. The one zoomed in slow motion, they’re trying to tell me if it doesn’t move from the naked eye, if you don’t see it moving, it didn’t move.
“I told them I definitely was looking down towards the ball as I was taking that practice swing, and I didn’t see it move.”
Holywood star McIlroy, meanwhile, went into the weekend on a promising three under par, though he still trailed halfway leader Scottie Scheffler by seven strokes.