“The thing that I respected more about Shane than anything else is just his grittiness” McIlroy lauds Lowry as Ryder Cup countdown begins

Rory McIlroy insists he can’t rest on his laurels after his spectacular Irish Open win and must still “tidy things up” as he chases his second BMW PGA victory and confidence for Europe’s “difficult” Ryder Cup defence in New York.

After winning in dramatic fashion at The K Club on Sunday, where he eagled the last to tie with Joakim Lagergren before going on to win at the third tie hole, the world number two is determined to put in a strong performance at Wentworth, where he now has a home.

“I think there are always things in my game I want to tidy up, regardless of what I have just won,” McIlroy said.

“You're always trying to find ways to see if you can get better.

“But also, I think it's important this week to put in a good performance because that will give you confidence going into the Ryder Cup. 

“It will also hopefully provide you with more of a cushion in The Race to Dubai going into the back end of the year.”

The Masters champion is looking forward to some team dinners but it’s filling up on confidence that’s his big goal as he prepares to head into Ryder Cup battle with Lowry again. 

“But first and foremost, I want to play well because confidence-wise I want to be in the right state of mind going into the Ryder Cup,” he said . “And then I also think it's another good week and a good opportunity to add to the win column, but give myself that cushion looking towards the end of the year and The Race to Dubai.”

McIlroy is joined at Wentworth by Padraig Harrington and Lowry, who was singled out by Pete Cowen at a GUI coaching weekend 20 years ago as the other big star in waiting. 

The Yorkshireman famously pointed to “the fat kid with glasses” as the other player to watch apart from the obviously talented McIlroy.

The pair have since become close friends and McIlroy values Lowry’s grittiness as they bid to help Europe win an away Ryder Cup for the first time since 2012.

“Look, Shane was the kid with the glasses that had a great short game. Like that was sort of it,” he recalled

“He's turned out to be obviously a hell of a player, a major champion and a great competitor. 

“I think that's the thing that I respected more about Shane than anything else is just his grittiness and his competitiveness, and he cares a lot. 

“I think that is a good thing 99 per cent of the time, but sometimes I would say maybe he cares too much sometimes.

“But yeah, he's obviously one of my best friends out here and carries himself so well, and obviously happy to play on the Ryder Cup Team with him here in a couple weeks.”

While McIlroy regards the team as more accomplished than in 2023 and welcomes the addition of Rasmus Hojgaard in place of his brother Nicolai, he’s under no illusions about the scale of the task ahead.

“History would tell you it's very difficult,” he said of the prospect of winning at Bethpage Black. “There's a reason that in the last decade, each Ryder Cup has gone to the home team.

“Look, it would obviously be great to bring the Ryder Cup back to these shores, and, look, we know how difficult it's going to be. 

“We are under no illusion. I have complete confidence and Luke and his vice captains and the team that they have put together.

“I keep saying this: We have a massive opportunity to do something that not a lot of Ryder Cup teams say that they have done.

“I have been lucky enough to be part of one Ryder Cup Team that won away. We have got a lot of people within that team, whether they are Justin Rose and I, who are playing, but then obviously you've got Francesco and Luke on the vice captain side, who were there and played. 

“So we have experience in knowing what it takes.

“But I think we all know it's going to be very, very difficult, and you're not just playing 12 American golfers. 

“You're also trying to get past the crowd, and that's the same thing that they feel when we come here and play in Europe. 

“It definitely gives you a bit of an in-built advantage to start the week, and that's something that we're definitely going to have to overcome.

“But I think it's a wonderful opportunity. I don't want to speak on behalf of everyone on the team, but I assume that we are all very excited for that opportunity.”