Rory McIlroy and Shane Lowry, don’t give it away now. But only ten years ago, they were not the best of buddies. In fact, it reached a point where Lowry was avoiding the Ulsterman. It’s not because he missed his friend’s wedding with Erica Stoll. The root cause was something completely different. 

Both McIlroy and Lowry were represented by the same agency, Horizon Sports. McIlroy signed a $100 million contract with apparel giant Nike under the Dublin-based agency. However, in 2013, Ulsterman split with the Horizon, alleging he was coaxed into paying them too much.

McIlroy accused Conor Ridge, his then-agent, of only caring about their profits in a court case. Horizon counter-sued, claiming unpaid money from the four-time major winner. The long-drawn legal battle was a shocking affair, and Shane Lowry was caught in the crossfire. 

Coincidentally, the three-time PGA Tour winner was also represented by Ridge. “It was a s**tshow, because Conor [Ridge] has always been good to me, and it was almost as if I had to pick a side, so I was in a tough place with Rory,” Lowry later recalled in an interview with the Irish Independent. 

From being friends, they went to being just ‘acquaintances’. In fact, before the 2014 Alfred Dunhill Links Championship, both were practicing at Carnoustie. Their lockers were right by each other. When Lowry spotted McIlroy coming from the greens, he waited in the clubhouse to avoid the Northern Irishman. 

To this day, Shane Lowry is ashamed of it. “It must have been 2014—aand seeing him on the tee and waiting in the clubhouse until he was gone, which is bullshit when you think about it. I mean for f**k sake! Just s***e!”  Lowry can laugh at the ridiculousness of the situation, but at that time it was quite serious. 

In 2015, McIlroy and Horizon also settled the matter in an out-of-court negotiation. Reportedly, the Ulsterman had to cough up nearly $20 million to Ridge. Nevertheless, McIlroy too felt the heavy air between him and Lowry. Which is why they decided to sort things out over dinner. From then on, it’s been a steady road ahead, with multiple milestones along the way. 

Rory McIlroy and Shane Lowry have stood by each other’s side 

Rory McIlroy once described Lowry as one of his ‘biggest advocates’. He wasn’t wrong. Lowry was one of the first golfers to stand by the Mcilroy after his 2024 U.S. Open disaster. Both fans and members of the golf community castigated the 26-time PGA Tour winner for his sharp exit from Pinehurst without shaking hands with Bryson DeChambeau. 

Lowry, sharing a picture with McIlroy on Instagram, wrote, “What Rory has gone through is as tough as it gets in our game, but I would like to encourage people if anything please be kind.” Almost a year ago, during the bitter Ryder Cup parking lot drama, it was Lowry who pulled McIlroy to his car, avoiding possibly the worst PR nightmare.

The duo has known each other since childhood. The bond has grown only stronger in the last couple of years. They are also Jupiter neighbors, and reports indicate their families are close as well. McIlroy and Lowry decided to pair up for the Zurich Classic after a really drunken lunch. Thanks to that, they now have a trophy they can both share.