Shane Lowry reveals Rory McIlroy’s impact on him after beating the latter to lead Arnold Palmer Invitational

Shane Lowry recently talked about the dynamics between him and Rory McIlroy and the influence McIlroy has had on him. Lowry is currently on the top of the leaderboard at the ongoing Arnold Palmer Invitational at Bay Hill Club & Lodge in Orlando, Florida.

The 37-year-old had a decent start at the Arnold Palmer Invitational and scored 3-under 69 in the first round. He followed it with a 5-under 67 in the second round with six birdies against a bogey. At 8-under, he is on top of the leaderboard while his friend McIlroy is tied for fifth. McIlroy scored 70 and 70 in the first two rounds.

Both Shane Lowry and Rory McIlroy were teed off together in the first two rounds. Talking about their on-course relationship, Lowry admitted that he enjoys playing with McIlroy and said that he tends to be more conversational between shots. He said (via ASAP Sports):

"I'm kind of a talker on the course anyway. So like if I'm playing with somebody I like and get on well with I'll have conversations in the walk between shots. It's a long day out there, so you need to occupy your mind somehow. I felt like we had a good time with doing our job at the same time."

Lowry also said that he was looking forward to the tournament from the start of the week as they were paired together. He said that McIlroy has a strong record at Bay Hill which in turn motivated him to raise his own game.

"Look, you're out there with one of the best golfers in the world, with big crowds, great golf course, lovely weather, what's not to like? It's easy to get up for something like that. I feel like I thrive in those situations. And yeah, I enjoyed my couple of days and I feel like we did play off each other a little bit."

Shane Lowry acknowledged that McIlroy would be frustrated with his finish but said that both of them remain in contention heading into the weekend.

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How did Shane Lowry perform on PGA Tour in 2024?

Shane Lowry had a solid 2024 season. He finished ninth in the FedEx Cup standings. In 20 starts, he had one win, seven top-10 finishes and 11 top-25 finishes.

Lowry's win came at the Zurich Classic of New Orleans, where he paired with Rory McIlroy. The duo won by a par on the first extra hole over Chad Ramey and Martin Trainer. His other notable finishes include a third finish at Arnold Palmer Invitational, a T4 at Cognizant Classic and a T6 at the Open Championship.

Let's take a look at Shane Lowry's performances on PGA Tour Tournaments in 2024:

• The American Express: Missed Cut
• Farmers Insurance Open: T25
• WM Phoenix Open: T60
• Cognizant Classic: T4
• Arnold Palmer Invitational: 3
• THE PLAYERS Championship: T19
• Masters Tournament: T43
• RBC Heritage: T64
• Wells Fargo Championship: T47
• PGA Championship: T6
• RBC Canadian Open: T33
• the Memorial Tournament: 49
• U.S. Open: T19
• Travelers Championship: T9
• The Open: 6
• Wyndham Championship: Missed Cut
• FedEx St. Jude Championship: T50
• BMW Championship: T13
• TOUR Championship: T9