"Definitely a place that I strive to be in" – Rory McIlroy reveals Shane Lowry's one trait he admires the most

Rory McIlroy is set to tee it up at Royal Portrush this week for the 2025 Open Championship. He will be joined by his close friend and fellow competitor Shane Lowry.

During a pre-tournament press conference, a reporter noted the close relationship the two PGA Tour stars shared on Netflix's Full Swing docu-series. McIlroy did not hesitate to answer when asked about what trait of Lowry he would wish to have.

Revealing that they have been growing closer together over the past six years, McIlroy said that his view of Lowry changed once they both had children. Like his fellow Ryder Cup star, the Northern Irishman wishes to separate his professional and personal life.

Rory McIlroy said (via ASAP Sports):

"When I say like a role model, I just think about how he is off the course, how he is able to separate his family life and his normal life from his golfing life. Look, I know it may be a little bit more -- I'm in a bit of a different position, so it may be a little bit more difficult for me, but it's definitely a place that I strive to be in, to be as comfortable getting away from it as he is in a way and enjoying the fruits of your success and sharing that with your loved ones."

Rory McIlroy also revealed that one of his New Year's resolutions was to have more fun. He also noted that he admires Shane Lowry for knowing when to put his professional life aside and have fun while spending time with family and friends.

What are Rory McIlroy and Shane Lowry's odds of winning the 2025 Open Championship?

The 2025 Open Championship will be played at Northern Ireland's Royal Portrush this week. Rory McIlroy and Shane Lowry will be a part of the world-class field as they fight to earn the Major championship title.

McIlroy, who won the Open Championship in 2014, bears odds of +700 to win this week according to Bet MGM Sportsbook. The Northern Irishman is the second most favored player to win this week, as he trails Scottie Scheffler with +500 to win.

The TGL co-founder is one of the fans' most favored picks after a near win at the 2025 Genesis Scottish Open last week. Rory McIlroy settled for a joint second-place finish with Marco Penge, while Chris Gotterup took home the victory by a two-stroke margin.

Shane Lowry won the Open Championship in 2019 at the Royal Portrush. He heads into the week with in-depth knowledge of the challenging golf course. As the Irishman prepares to tee up the opening round on Thursday, July 17, he bears odds of +2,500 to win his second Major championship title.

About the author

Lathika is one of the newer additions to Sportskeeda’s budding golf journalism team and has brought plenty of in-game experience to the role. Having been a golfer for over 12 years now, some of her crowning achievements include winning titles on the Indian Golf Union Ladies tour and Junior Girls Amateur tour.

She currently competes in Division 1 golf in New York, and hopes to play in the U.S. Open and Chevron Championship one day. She is set to cover the 2025 Ryder Cup as well. She is currently pursuing a degree in Business Administration and Management, and holds a Sports Marketing certification from Northwestern University, which helped her learn to draft press releases and ultimately transition into journalism.

Lathika has thus developed a knowledge base that allows her to view golf from both player, spectator and media lenses, enabling her to bring statistics, insights and an understanding of fan emotion together in her copies. She only uses verified information from reliable sources like the PGA TOUR.

Her favorite golfers are Nelly Korda and Tiger Woods, both for their playing style as well as their mental strength. Much of her time away from work is spent playing golf, but she also enjoys spending time with her family and friends, and learning new hobbies or upskilling.

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Edited by Samya Majumdar