ZURICH CLASSIC OF NEW ORLEANS

April 26, 2024

Rory McIlroy

Shane Lowry

TPC Louisiana

Press Conference

Q. Shane, obviously that putt on 4 was big for your team. How big was it for you also to see one go in at that point?

SHANE LOWRY: Yeah, it was. I had missed a few around the turn. I missed a pretty short one on 18 and then another one on the second. I started to get a little bit into myself, but to roll that one in was nice, and to play the last few holes the way we did was really nice too.

I think a bit of a lesson there for myself to kind of keep going and just keep trying and keep plugging away. We did that today, and I'm pretty happy how we finished.

Q. Have you ever played from that fairway bunker after Rory hit that drive?

SHANE LOWRY: On the 8th? I've been there in two before, but no, yeah, it was nice. I knew if we got through the 6th hole at even par or maybe 1-under coming to the last few holes, I knew 7 and 8 were going to be good chances for us because I knew Rory could drive the green on 8. I knew 7 was going to play short.

As long as I hit a good drive there, it was going to be a mid-iron for Rory. I knew we had a couple of chances coming in. We managed to take them, and that was nice.

Q. Shane's short game was on display. You hit some really sweet bunker shots and really good chip shots. Does that free you up knowing that, obviously you're not looking to put him in a bad position, but that your partner is that tidy with a wedge?

RORY McILROY: Yeah, especially on some of the easier holes, the par-5s, a couple of shorter par-4s, to be able to get the ball up there and close to the green.

Yeah, Shane has got a wonderful short game, and it gives me confidence going for those greens whether it be the par-4s or the par-5s that if I get it anywhere up there around the green, I'm going to have a very good look for birdie after he hits his.

Q. After the couple of putts that I know he wanted to drop in didn't fall for him, did you say anything to him? It looked like a couple of times you might have said, Don't worry about it, no problem.

RORY McILROY: As Shane said, after those it's easy to sort of get hard on yourself, and I was just trying to keep him as positive as possible and just remind him that I'm here and I'm here to back him up in any way that I can. So, yeah, just trying to keep him positive.

Q. Shane, you said last night when you heard the tee time, your goal was to stay out of trouble. You have a lot of time this afternoon. Your the goal still the same, or are you going to let your hair down a little bit?

SHANE LOWRY: No, no, no. We're here to play a golf tournament. We'll enjoy ourselves. We'll go for a nice dinner tonight. I'm not sure -- we have a restaurant booked, but I'm not sure.

I'll do the same thing I do when I have an afternoon off. I'll go back to the hotel, freshen up, and go for a little stroll around the city and have a look at -- just look around. That's what I do.

Q. Rory, you said on Wednesday that you were going to (indiscernible) and get a T-shirt. A lot of our viewers here -- I'm a local guy. Did you get to do the walk? Did you get the T-shirt?

RORY McILROY: Haven't done it yet. Maybe this afternoon could be the time.