‘Pissed off’ major champ irritated by Rory McIlroy Masters question

AUGUSTA, Ga. — Shane Lowry, in his words, was “very disappointed” with his finish on Saturday at Augusta National Golf Club. But his words got a touch more colorful than that.

Lowry, the 2019 Open champion, started the third round of the Masters three strokes off the lead and found himself in the third-to-last tee time, which is a good place to be at a major.

He was in an even better place through 15 holes, as he was two under for the day and seven under for the tournament. As Lowry teed off on the par-3 16th, he was just three behind leader (and good friend) Rory McIlroy. He even nearly chipped in for birdie from the sand on 16 but instead settled for a par. He fist-pumped, because he knew it was important.

Then came the 17th. Lowry yanked his tee shot into the pines, had to lay up and then lipped-out a 3-footer that would have saved par. On the 18th, he pulled his tee ball again.

“Shane, two in a row,” he muttered. “What are you doing with your driver, man?”

From the pine straw he hit it into the green-side bunker, but a poor shot from there meant two putts and his second straight bogey. He signed for an even-par 72.

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Two holes earlier he was three off the lead. After McIlroy’s eagle on 15 and par-par-par finish, he’ll start Sunday seven back of McIlroy.

When Lowry met with the media afterward, he was still irked. The first question he was asked was about his finish.

“I felt like I let a really good day go there at the end, so I’m obviously disappointed. But just have to pick myself up and get some rest tonight and get after it tomorrow,” he said. “Late tee time here on Sunday, obviously a few back from the leader but, I’m in a nice position and things can happen around here.”

But when the second question related to McIlroy, Lowry grew irritated.

Did you find yourself looking back at all at Rory?

“No. No, I’m not going to stand here and talk about Rory for 10 minutes,” he said. “I’m trying to win the tournament, as well. I know that’s what y’all want me to talk about, but I’ve just had a s–t finish, I’ve got a chance to win the Masters tomorrow, and I’m going to go hit some balls.”

While McIlroy is, in fact, leading the tournament — and he made a crowd-erupting eagle on 15 in the pairing behind Lowry, which everyone in that area surely heard — Lowry was likely bothered that his own media time was used to comment on his buddy. Lowry and McIlroy are Ryder Cup teammates, live near each other in Florida (their daughters are friends), won the Zurich Classic together and play the Masters Par-3 Contest together. He was asked about McIlroy and/or his Grand Slam quest four times in his pre-tournament press conference on Tuesday (but was not asked about him on Thursday, and just one question briefly alluded to McIlroy on Friday).

Lowry tried to leave the podium after answering, but he stuck around and listened to the next question, about his clutch par putt on 16.

“I just want to do as best I can,” he said. “I hated that short putt on 17. The very minute I get up there, that pin is just horrible. I just hit it too hard and tried to jam it in the hole and then just hit two poor drives. Driver didn’t feel comfortable today. Yeah, it was hard. It was hard out there. But it was great fun at the same time. It’s where you want to be. It’s what you want to do. It’s what you live for. But I want to win this tournament, so I’m pissed off.”

Two more questions followed, one about his hot start and another commenting on how there are still 18 holes remaining. “It’s like pleasure and pain,” the reporter said.

Lowry answered that question, but finished his thought by returning to a point Collin Morikawa has recently created a conversation around.

“I enjoyed every bit of today and then I hit that putt on 17 and I couldn’t believe it,” he said. “I thought I did great holing one back and then just hit a very poor tee shot on 18.

“I’m going to go and — we talk about Collin Morikawa a few weeks ago. I think we need time. I think I need a half an hour now to sit there and gather my thoughts. I can’t be coming to talk to you guys straightaway. It shouldn’t be happening. I don’t agree with it. Tennis players have to talk to the media, but they have a half an hour or hour before they have to do it. I feel like we should have the same thing. That’s how I feel. I’m probably going to say something stupid. I probably already have said something stupid because I’m pissed off right now. I’m just going to leave, OK?”

Lowry walked away from the podium.

You might recall that Morikawa led last month’s Arnold Palmer Invitational with four holes to play but finished second to Russell Henley. A media request made to speak with him was denied, and at the Players Championship the following week he said he didn’t “owe anyone anything” regarding an explanation.

Former Tour player Rocco Mediate criticized Morikawa on Sirius XM Radio, saying, “Your job is to tell people what happened. I don’t give a s–t about your workout in the morning and all that other crap. Tell me what happened. You lost? You lost. You got beat? That’s what happens. Guess what? Golf’s hard.”

Moriakwa fired back after his second round of the Players.

“I might bite my tongue after saying this, but to the Brandel Chamblees, to the Paul McGinleys, to the Rocco Mediates of the world, I don’t regret anything I said,” he said. “You know, it might have been a little bit harsh that I don’t owe anyone, but I don’t owe anyone.”

Morikawa took a similar stance when asked about it again this week. So did McIlroy.

“Well, [Morikawa is] right,” McIlroy said Tuesday. “Not that I think he could have worded it a little bit better, but look, every other athlete, whether it be in the NBA, NFL, they’re obligated to speak to you guys after a game. We’re not. Whether that’s something that the PGA Tour looks to in terms of putting that into their rules and regulations, but as long as that’s not the case and we have that option to opt out whenever we want, expect guys to do that from time to time.”