Lowry steps out of McIlroy’s shadow to play leading man on biggest stage | Ryder Cup 2025

IIt’s not easy to be Shane Lowry. Such a narrow friendship with Rory McILroy means not only that the sporting comparison is inevitable, but the questions towards Lowry are systematically framed with the North Irish in mind. What Rory thinks, what would Rory say. Lowry takes all this in a good spirit – the vast majority of time – when he has the right to roll his eyes. This also applies to the rogue representation of the Irishman who has a hard consumption that has a natural talent for his sport which removes the need for hard work. There are few more dedicated or serious than Lowry interpreters. He cares almost too much.

The exceptional achievements of McILroy in Golf do not extend to what Lowry produced on Sunday. A moving return from the United States had left Europe seriously in danger of letting the Ryder Cup slide through a dozen pairs of hands. He was left in Lowry and a 6 -foot putt on the final green with Bethpage Black to ensure at least equality. The man whom American fans had called a telebby in the previous two days of the Ryder Cup would appreciate the last deafening laugh. “I still can’t believe it,” said Lowry on Monday morning.

If Lowry had missed, Europe looked at a sports disaster in the face. His teammates fell like flies. If it was natural to look at the negative, Lowry’s state of mind was different. He had turned to his shopping cart, Darren Reynolds, earlier in the 18th hole. “I have a chance to do the coolest thing in my life here,” Lowry told her bag. “I did it. And I’m very proud of myself. ” On green, Lowry thought of the converted putt of Martin Kaymer, in identical circumstances for Europe, in Medinah in 2012.

Lowry has a strange talent to be the epicenter of legendary events. He was invited to the Irish Open in 2009 as an amateur and won. When the open championship returned to Ireland a decade later, he prevailed again. The last moment of Lowry in the sun came the same day that his brother’s wife had a baby. The father of the Golfer Brendan, a football champion from all of Ireland in 1982, considered the drop in Bethpage putt. The celebration of Lowry – so euphoric and so natural – was wonderfully endearing. He had to take a break for the air at the end. And to think, Shane once dreamed of following the sporting traces of Brendan. It was rather intended to shine on a world scene.

The plan did not imply everything boosting Lowry of course. He was in match eight of the 11 single Sundays. Europe has started the session that only needs two points to keep the cup. However, the very point of putting Lowry – more Tyrrell Hatton and Robert Macintyre – at the base of the draw was just in case their games are necessary. “I did not imagine going up the 18th needing a birdie to keep the Ryder Cup,” admitted Lowry. “It was the two worst hours of my life. It was horrible. “

There was also an element of redemption. Lowry wanted to play in the Ryder Cup before receiving a Joker choice to whistle the Strait in 2021. His debut, in partnership with McILroy, involved a heavy defeat against Tony Finau and Harris English. Lowry lost in simple against Patrick Cantlay while the United States has inflicted a record defeat on Europe. Many are made of McILroy’s tears in Wisconsin, but Lowry was also distraught. “No matter how long I play, for the rest of my career, I want to be part of this team,” said Lowry at the time. Thanks to a subsequent change of the guard, Lowry was part of the European group which won consecutive cuts.

Lowry is extremely respected among its European teammates. He has an influence and fueling camaraderie far beyond the golf course. He is a great storyteller, with a rapid spirit and makes a thin line of self-depreciation. The 38 -year -old man is fiercely faithful, especially towards McILroy. Lowry is in fact at the heart of everything that makes Europe success as a team; Everything the United States does not seem to do well.

“I’m so proud of Shane,” said McILroy. “I am so grateful to have it in my life. Honestly, he put his arm around me on Saturday afternoon and he was a great reason why we won this point. It was huge this week.

“It is the third Ryder Cup of Shane and it is his best performance, absolutely immense. What Shane did [him] For the rest of his career.

McILroy’s assessment, as always, is perfect. He was clearly tired during the four -day ball session of the second day when Lowry advanced. He doesn’t always need to be the Rory show. The big brother he never helped.

“You think back to the Great Irish of the game, they have all the putts traced to win the Ryder Cup and I had my moment,” added Lowry, in reference to Eamonn Darcy, Philip Walton, Paul McGinley, Graeme McDowell and Darren Clarke. Lowry is proud of his inheritance and his homeland.

Thoughts will inevitably turn to the way Lowry could rely on this. He has the capacity to add to his major lonely success. In two years, he will be back on Team Europe in Adare Manor. He is a future pending captain. But this overview can wait. Macintyre revealed that he and Lowry planned to disappear in New York. It will be impossible for one or the other to remain invisible.