When it comes to team competitions that rely on individual strength, look no further than the Irish team in this week's Olympic golf competition.
“I think when we’re together, we get along pretty well,” Shane Lowry said Tuesday of teammate Rory McIlroy. “I think we’re both going to play pretty well this week.”
From the early days of the DP World Tour, to success on the PGA Tour (including victory at this year’s Zurich Classic in New Orleans), and playing in multiple Ryder Cup tournaments together, the duo has a wealth of experience mentally.
The same is true for the Olympics. The Olympic men's golf event at the National Golf Club will be the second time Ireland has been represented at a Summer Olympics, having made their debut at the Tokyo Games three years ago.
McIlroy missed out on a medal at the Tokyo Olympics, losing in a seven-person play-off for bronze. After the match, the four-time major champion said he had never fought so hard for third place. On Monday night, swimmer Mona McSharry won bronze, giving Ireland its first medal, and Lowry and McIlroy are determined to keep the momentum going.
“It’s nice to start the medal count and hopefully get another medal tonight with Daniel (Weiffen, also a swimmer) and hopefully one of us can get another medal or two,” Lowry said. “That’s the plan. That’s why we’re here.
“If you look at the media and what Mona was like yesterday when she won bronze at home, I think it would be really cool if I could win a gold medal and bring it back to Ireland.”
“Winning the gold medal would be an achievement, undoubtedly the biggest achievement of the year,” said McIlroy, who played in the French Open and the 2018 Ryder Cup, so is very familiar with this week’s venue.
“This is probably the biggest, maybe even the biggest, of my career in the last 10 years. … I would say my focus is very strong. The last time you guys saw me, I wasn't playing well in Troon (British Open). I want to make sure I'm in the right position for Thursday's match.”
For Lowry, his second Olympic experience got off to a perfect start as he shared the flag bearer position with 100-meter hurdler Sarah Lavine on Friday.
“It was an amazing experience and I’ll remember it forever,” said the 2019 Open champion. “It’s a huge honor and when I get there and experience the whole process, yeah, it’s a lifetime of memories. Also, just being there and being around the other athletes, it was pretty cool.”
“It's a huge honour for me and my family. Anyone who knows me knows how patriotic I am and how much I love representing Ireland at the world level and playing for my country. Tonight is going to be special.” @TeamIreland ☘️ #Olympic Games https://t.co/3njokPfYkb
— Shane Lowry (@ShaneLowryGolf) July 26, 2024
In preparation for the Olympic Village and the surrounding parade of boats on the Seine, Lowry spent a lot of time with other athletes, especially Lavine, whose partner Craig Breen died during pre-race testing before last year’s rally.
“I got to know her so well that day, and her story and her journey was just incredible,” he recalled. “She gained a new fan that day, and I hope to see her continue to do well next week. Yeah, it’s just cool to see what people do and what other athletes go through.”
While preparations for her first round loomed, Lowry was already planning which sport she would play later in the day. That, after all, is one of the differences between the Summer Olympics and a regular tournament on tour.
McIlroy and Lowry are a duo to be reckoned with on any given week, but perhaps even more so in a team setting, and in Paris.
