Rory McIlroy has reacted to Shane Lowry’s sensational Irish Open victory, after his comments on the Irish man incredible performance on home soil.
Lowry produced a remarkable performance at Trump International Golf Links in Doonbeg, finishing the tournament at an incredible 23-under par to claim an emphatic 11-shot victory.
The Irishman was in complete control throughout the final round, eventually finishing well clear of Joaquin Niemann and Patrick Reed, who shared second place. Lowry’s victory was made even more impressive by his second-round 62, which set the tone for what would become a dominant week.
McIlroy, who endured a difficult tournament himself and finished tied for 41st at 1-under par, had little to celebrate personally. However, he was clearly pleased to see his fellow Irishman producing such an outstanding performance on home soil.
Speaking about Lowry during the tournament, McIlroy offered a simple but telling message of support:
“We’re all cheering him on.”
Those few words captured the atmosphere surrounding Lowry as he marched towards victory. While McIlroy was unable to challenge for the title, attention quickly turned towards Lowry and his incredible run at the top of the leaderboard.
Lowry eventually completed the job in spectacular fashion, closing with a 63 to finish 23-under and win by 11 shots. The victory was his second Irish Open title, coming 17 years after he famously won the tournament as an amateur.
For McIlroy, Lowry’s victory provided a significant positive from what was otherwise a disappointing week. The four-time major champion had struggled throughout the tournament, particularly with his putting, after previously admitting that he had been unable to get his putter going.
The contrast between the two Irish stars could hardly have been greater. While McIlroy battled through a frustrating week, Lowry produced one of the best performances of his career and gave the home fans something unforgettable to celebrate.
McIlroy’s supportive comment also underlined the strong relationship between the two players. Both have represented Ireland on some of golf’s biggest stages, and Lowry’s success is another major moment for Irish golf.
With Lowry now celebrating an extraordinary 11-shot triumph, McIlroy will be hoping to use his own disappointing week as motivation to improve ahead of his next challenge.
But for Irish golf, the biggest story belongs to Lowry — and McIlroy’s reaction made it clear that he was more than happy to see his fellow countryman take the spotlight.
