Rory McIlroy’s pal Shane Lowry rushes to PGA star’s defence – ‘Does my head in’

Shane Lowry has come out swinging in a heartfelt defence of his friend Rory McIlroy. The Irishman - who isn't one to mince his words - has torn into the "couch pundits" who accused McIlroy of "choking" at last year's US Open.

Lowry didn't hide his irritation as he revisited the dramatic scenes of last June, when McIlroy, 35, let a late lead slip at Pinehurst. The 38-year-old, who wrapped up the tournament in 19th place, was left stunned as McIlroy's quest for a major crumbled before his eyes.

Lowry was mid-air en route to New York when McIlroy's misfortune unfolded - missing a short putt on the 16th green, followed by another on the final hole, which allowed Bryson DeChambeau to clinch the title. "[It was] devastating," Lowry remembered. "I couldn't believe it."

Originally intending to join the celebration if McIlroy triumphed, Lowry admitted he was glad he missed the aftermath: "I didn't want to be there if what happened f***ing happened."

Reflecting on the painful situation, he recalled: "When I saw the putt he missed on 16, I was like... pffffff. And I knew his putt on 18 was so hard."

But what haunts Lowry most isn't the defeat itself - it's the avalanche of "s***e" aimed at McIlroy from critics. "It does my f***ing head in," he said.

"The f***ing couch pundits saying, 'He shouldn't have hit driver on 18.' Did you see where Bryson hit driver? F***ing 20 yards left of where Rory hit it, but Bryson is a great lad. So that type of s*** does my head in."

In Lowry's eyes, it's ridiculous to claim that McIlroy crumbled under pressure. "He didn't play the last holes great," he noted, "but Bryson's bunker shot was unbelievable," he said to the Irish Independent.

He also questioned if DeChambeau would have performed as well under different stakes. "I'm sure Rory has thought about that more than once," Lowry added.

The strength of Lowry and McIlroy's relationship is undeniable - forged through years of shared competition and shared Irish roots. Lowry believes McIlroy is determined to win a fifth major, after going over a decade without clinching one.

"Majors are where it's at in this game," Lowry said. "He [McIlroy] wants to win one more. Well, he wants to win way more, but my guess is that one more leads to way more. He's strong. Tough. He'll give himself 10 more chances to win majors," he said confidently. "It's just whether he does it or not."

McIlroy's major drought stretches back to 2014, and he's still in pursuit of a green jacket. He finished second at Augusta in 2022 and secured fourth a decade ago in 2015.

With the Masters beginning April 10, McIlroy is among the top picks. A win would see him become just the sixth man to win a career Grand Slam.