Rory McIlroy and Shane Lowry aiming to make history for Irish golf at the Masters

HISTORY FOR THE TAKING: Rory McIlroy watches on the driving range during a practice round at the Masters golf tournament. Pic: George Walker IV/AP

Rory McIlroy and Shane Lowry embark late Thursday on a mission to make history for Irish golf at Augusta National.

“It would be huge. It really would be,” said Lowry of what it would mean back home if one of the two of them were to reach the Butler Cabin ceremony this week and join the roster of Masters champions.

Of the seven most successful golfing nations on the major championship stages, Ireland ranks sixth with 11 titles among six golfers: McIlroy (4), Pádraig Harrington (3), Lowry, Graeme McDowell, Darren Clarke and Fred Daly. Spain is seventh with 10 majors among four golfers.

Among those seven nations with double-digit majors – the United States, Scotland, England, South Africa, Australia, Ireland and Spain – there are three glaring lapses on their respective ledgers. Neither Spain nor Scotland has had a player win the PGA Championship.

Ireland is the only one of them yet to claim a Masters green jacket.

Considering their current form, world No. 2 McIlroy and No. 13 Lowry may present the strongest chance yet this week to rectify that gap on the national CV.

“I think it would be would be one of the biggest things that has ever happened in sport in our country,” said Lowry.

“So, I try not to think about stuff like that. I’m mentally strong enough now it will be gone by Thursday morning.”

McIlroy was more reluctant to place too much value to what a green jacket would mean for Ireland. He feels the burst of success Irish golfers enjoyed from Harrington’s first major win in 2007 through to Lowry’s Open at Portrush in 2019 stands on its own merits.

“We went through a really nice period there from 2007 through 2014,” McIlroy said regarding the bulk of victories in a seven-year flourish.

“Obviously you had Pádraig winning the Opens and the PGA, had G-Mac winning at the U.S. Open at Pebble, Clarky at St. George's, I went on my run and Shane did what he did in 2019 at Portrush.

“We’ve had success in pretty recent memory. You’re sort of saying that one major may be worth a little bit more than the other majors. I don’t know. But it would be a pretty big deal, just like all the rest of them were.”

Both McIlroy and Lowry are enjoying strong starts to 2025, highlighted by them finishing 1-2 at Pebble Beach in early February when they were paired in the final round. The hope that form carries into the week.

“Yeah, look, I think obviously if it’s not me I hope it’s (Rory),” said Lowry.

“Trying not to think about it too much because obviously it would be a very special thing to happen. We’re both in good form, we’ve both prepared very well. I know that and we both will give it our best and that’s all we can do.”

Shane Lowry will attempt to take the bull by the horns as he bids to win a second major title in the 89th Masters. Pic: Zac Goodwin/PA

McIlroy and Lowry both get late starts in back-to-back groupings in Thursday’s first round, with McIlroy going out at 6:12 pm Irish time with 2024 runner-up Ludvig Åberg and Akshay Bhatia.

Lowry follows immediately behind at 6:23 pm Irish time with 2021 champion Hideki Matsuyama and reigning U.S. Open champion Bryson DeChambeau.

It’s a tricky spot to start in, especially considering how crucial it is to get off to a strong start – something that has largely eluded both players in a combined 25 previous Masters appearances.

Only three times since 2000 has a player outside the top 10 after the first day gone on to win the Masters and it hasn’t happened at all since 2005, when Tiger Woods when on to win in a playoff after being tied for 11th after the opening round.

That may help explain McIlroy’s challenges at the Masters. Only three times has he ever started among the top-10, and twice (in 2011 when he shot 65 and 2018 when he posted 69) presented his best chances to win and eventually led for him to play in the final pairing on Sunday.

Only once in his last six starts has McIlroy even been inside the top 30 after day one, which was last year when he shot 1-under 71 to sit tied 14th.

Lowry has three times in nine previous Masters started among the top-10, including twice shooting 4-under 68 in 2016 and 2023.

If McIlroy and Lowry can get off to a good jump late Thursday, an opportunity to make history for Ireland come Sunday.