Lowry on McIlroy, McIlroy on Lowry: What they would take from each other
Former Ireland team-mates at amateur level, the pair have become very close in recent years since Lowry joined McIlroy in residing in Florida. They have teamed up twice for Ireland at the Olympics as well as winning the Zurich Classic of New Orleans last year as colleagues.
Ahead of The Open in Portrush, Lowry said that the stand-out trait that McIlroy, the newest member of golf's exclusive grand slam club has is his "constant work ethic".
And he added: "Yeah, we have become quite close over the last number of years, and I think it's helped both of us. I think I help him but he helps me as well. I think I certainly feel like I've learned a lot from his work ethic and how I apply myself to the game now.
"We spend a lot of time together. Where we live in Florida, there's a lot of players that live there, and you go up to the range and there's never a day that goes by where you get there and some of the top players in the world are not there. So you're like, well, if all these guys are here, we need to be doing it as well.
"I think my biggest thing for him is, he's done everything there is to do in the game. He finished that in April. And his constant drive to get better every day is admirable."
McIlroy, meanwhile, is a huge admirer of the way Lowry is able to balance being one of the world's top golfers with his family life. "We've always been close, but I think we've become very close over the last sort of five or six years," said McIlroy.
"Once I had a daughter I saw how Shane is with his daughters - when I say he's like a role model, I just think about how he is off the course, how he is able to separate his family life and his normal life from his golfing life.
"Look, I know I'm in a bit of a different position, so it may be a little bit more difficult for me. But it's definitely a place that I strive to be in, to be as comfortable getting away from it as he is in a way and enjoying the fruits of your success and sharing that with your loved ones.
"It's more so that. That's one of my New Year's resolutions, was to have more fun. I think Shane is very good at having fun, and I need more of that in my life."
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