Rory McIlroy and Shane Lowry are set to renew their on-course rivalry at the Masters, where both remain in contention for the Green Jacket. McIlroy shares the lead with Cameron Young, while Lowry sits two strokes adrift after a hole-in-one in the third round.
Their friendship, which dates back years, hit a difficult patch in 2013 when McIlroy left the Horizon Sports agency that represented both men. McIlroy later described the fallout as "messy" for a couple of years, blaming circumstances rather than any wrongdoing between the two. The pair mended ties in Belfast in 2015, after McIlroy attended the BBC Sports Personality of the Year and they met for drinks following Lowry's win at the Bridgestone Invitational.
McIlroy has acknowledged the rift was rooted in money, calling it "the root of all evil." Since then, their personal bond has strengthened, with their wives and children also getting on well. Lowry was quick to embrace McIlroy after his Masters triumph last year and would surely be delighted if the Northern Irishman were to defend his title.
At the Ryder Cup at Bethpage Black, McIlroy's wife, Erica Stoll, endured relentless abuse from spectators, including a beer cup thrown in her direction. Lowry praised her composure, saying the abuse she received was "astonishing" and that she remained fully supportive of her husband and the team. Lowry also revealed he had told Stoll that McIlroy could retire happy after winning the Masters, given the challenges he had faced over more than a decade.
McIlroy has, however, decided to skip the Zurich Classic, a tournament he and Lowry won together in 2024. With a prize fund of £7.1m, the event will see Lowry partner Brooks Koepka instead when it begins on 20 April, as McIlroy trims his PGA Tour commitments to spend more time with family.
