Rory McIlroy and Shane Lowry proud of podium finishes at Augusta

BESTIES: Shane Lowry hugs caddie Brian Martin after a birdie on the 18th green on Sunday. 

AUGUSTA, GEORGIA – If a week can possibly change Ireland’s frustrating history at the Masters, it was this one.

Rory McIlroy was giddier than any runner-up in Masters history, and his record-tying final round 64 capped by a hole-out birdie from the bunker on the last seemed to re-energise his long quest to complete the career Grand Slam and end his eight-year major drought. Shane Lowry accentuated the positives of his third-place effort.

Both left Augusta National feeling bullish about their futures, not just at the Masters but the rest of the 2022 season.

“I don't think it just sets me up for next year, it sets me up for the rest of this year,” said McIlroy after his 64 rocketed him to a runner-up finish in the only major championship he’s never won. 

“I feel like my game has been sort of quietly pretty good without the results to really show for it. But again, today it was a golf course that I felt was gettable and I feel like I'm playing well enough to go out there and shoot those sorts of scores.” 

Lowry made six birdies on Sunday for his best Masters finish in seven tries, not letting a triple-bogey on his fourth hole send him off the rails.

“The big thing I can take away from the last two days being in contention around here is how comfortable I felt on the golf course,” said Lowry. “I'm proud of myself to the way I handled myself and especially when things went against me today. To shoot 5-under for the last sort of whatever it was, 13 holes, was pretty good.” 

McIlroy: “I found myself a little too far back"

McIlroy and Lowry each had blown shots they can point to. McIlroy played went bogey-double from the fairways on 10 and 11 Friday. Lowry hit a handful of bad wedges in the first three rounds that all cost him strokes and the triple at the fourth Sunday.

But neither wanted to play the what-if game.

“I found myself a little too far back, but I don't think that was because of my game,” McIlroy said.

“I thought my strategy this week was really, really good. I know I said after the first two days I could have been a few shots better. There was that bogey-double bogey run on 10 and 11 on the (second) day, which was a little soft. Apart from that, I basically did everything I wanted to this week.”

Lowry wasn’t going to let a mistake on the fourth that cost him three strokes prevent him from playing the way he had the rest of the week.

“Look, I've got fight. I've got determination, and I'm never going to stop trying,” Lowry said. “I'm out there giving it my best, and I just kept on telling myself that was only one swing. I made a great up-and-down on 5 and made a great birdie on 6, and that kind of got me going again.

“To be honest, I felt like I was somewhat out of the tournament, but you just don't know how it's going to go. I thought maybe I could shoot 6 or 7-under from there, but Scottie (Scheffler) has obviously went down and done his thing, and he is the best player in the world at the moment, and he has come out to play. And when the No. 1 player in the world comes out to play his best, he is hard to beat.” 

McIlroy had had his share of bad memories at Augusta, going back to his final-round meltdown in 2011. But after Sunday’s 64 he is more focused on the good things than the scars. That emotional eruption when his bunker shot at the last drop and the subsequent celebration with Collin Morikawa when he followed with a hole-out of his own from the same bunker will be the kind of memory that will linger and be replayed in highlights.

“I think just all these memories that are building up, I think I've had some really good Sundays here from a little further back, and it is about trying to channel whatever attitude that is,” he said.

“I think the more and more I did it, the more memories I build up and the more, if I do put myself in a position closer to the lead going into Sunday, that I can delve into that memory bank and try to use those memories and my experience to my advantage.

“I mean, I've always known that I can do it. I've played good enough around here, maybe just haven't strung four rounds together like that, but I've always known that I have the game to win at this place. It's just a matter of having that game for four days in a row and not making big numbers and shooting yourself in the foot I guess.” Lowry has been improving his stake each of the last three trips to Augusta since his Open Championship win at Royal Portrush in 2019.

“I think I have believed that I can do whatever in this game. I just have to allow myself to come to these tournaments and do it,” Lowry said. “Look, this week coming in I was playing such great golf. My form was really good, and I felt very comfortable, so I'm hoping next year when I get back here, I'll feel the same and give it another go. Who knows what shape my game will be in this time next year.

“I hope I come in here next year with the form I've had this year, and I might give it a good go again, but it won't be from the lack of trying.”