Shane Lowry Eyes Olympic Gold to Redeem Open Heartbreak as McIlroy Chases Decade-Long Win Drought
Shane Lowry and Rory McIlroy have set their sights on the prestigious Olympic gold, each driven by recent disappointments and their aspirations to elevate their careers. After missing out on a second Open title, Lowry believes that an Olympic victory could serve as the redemption he seeks. “I felt I had a good chance to win The Open a couple of weeks ago, and I was really disappointed to not give it a better go on Saturday and Sunday,” he remarked. With a two-shot lead at the halfway mark of The Open, his hopes were dashed after a third-round score of 77, leading to a sixth-place finish, five shots behind Olympic champion Xander Schauffele.
Lowry’s Olympic ambitions are not only about personal redemption. He exuberantly described his role as a flag bearer at the opening ceremony as an “amazing experience.” The golfer is keenly aware of the impact an Olympic gold could have on national pride, particularly after witnessing the excitement surrounding Mona McSharry’s bronze medal in the 100m breaststroke. “If you look at the media and what it was like back home yesterday when Mona won that bronze medal, I think if I was to win a gold medal and bring it back to Ireland, yeah, it would be pretty cool,” Lowry reflected.
Rory McIlroy, meanwhile, targets what could be his most significant victory in a decade. He endured a disappointing performance at Royal Troon, finishing 11 over par with rounds of 78 and 75, marking his second-worst Open finish. Reflecting on his decade-long title drought, McIlroy acknowledged how an Olympic gold could rival a major championship in his storied career. “It’s well documented that I haven’t won one of the big four in 10 years,” he noted. “It would probably be one of, if not the biggest [win] in my career for the last 10 years.”
For McIlroy, the Olympic quest is filled with both personal and professional significance. Following his underwhelming performance at Troon, he is driven to redeem himself on the international stage. “The last time you guys (the media) saw me, I didn’t give a very good account of myself at Troon. I want to make sure I’m right where I need to be teeing off on Thursday,” he affirmed. When asked about the importance of an Olympic medal, McIlroy mused, “Again, I’ve been asked this question a lot, where would an Olympic medal sit in sort of the hierarchy of my career achievements? It’s something I probably won’t be able to answer until when everything is said and done.”
As the upcoming Olympic event at Le Golf National draws near, the field remains fiercely competitive even without US Open champion Bryson DeChambeau. The American team boasts top-tier talents such as Schauffele, Scottie Scheffler, Collin Morikawa, and Wyndham Clark, all ranked within the world’s top six.
Looking ahead, both McIlroy and Lowry express openness towards team formats for the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles, a proposition that could add a fresh dynamic to future competitions. Beyond the quest for gold, the broader context of world rankings and the influence of LIV Golf remain pertinent. McIlroy advocated for the current world ranking system as the best method for determining Olympic qualifiers, emphasizing the consequences of players’ choices. “If you want to qualify for the Olympics, you knew what you had to do. Just like if you wanted to qualify for the Ryder Cup, you knew what you had to do. They were very aware of the decision they made when they did.”
McIlroy will begin his Olympic campaign alongside Ludvig Aberg and world number one Scottie Scheffler, while Lowry is paired with Korea’s Byeong Hun An and Canada’s Nick Taylor. France’s Victor Perez will mark the start of the event with the opening shot at 0900 local time (0800BST).
In this context of international ambition and national pride, the actions and performances of these athletes hold profound significance, not just for their careers but for the legacies they hope to create. As McIlroy aptly summed, “I don’t know if anything will be able to sit alongside the majors. We have our four events a year that are the gold standard. But I think this is going to be, in time, right up there amongst that.” As these golf giants aim for Olympic glory, the world will undoubtedly be watching, eager to see which path their journeys will take.
