NEW ORLEANS — As Shane Lowry downplayed a putt he made a year ago to send the Zurich Classic to a playoff, Rory McIlroy’s mind quickly jumped to his deepest, darkest source of pain.
“I’ve certainly missed shorter,” the Northern Irishman quipped, eliciting shocked laughs from the room.
McIlroy would not have made that joke three weeks ago.
No, McIlroy — Masters champion, Grand Slam winner, happiest man on the planet — arrived in New Orleans on Wednesday morning in his first public appearance since his historic playoff win, and here was a man lighter than he’s been since he arrived on tour as a shaggy-haired prodigy. So carefree that when asked about his goals for the rest of 2025, his Zurich playing partner and close friend Lowry joked, “Who cares anymore?”
All McIlroy’s weight has been lifted. Enough that he could make a crack about his missed putts to lose the 2024 U.S. Open.
It’s been a long 10 days since McIlroy’s epic moment. He got calls from two U.S. Presidents — Donald Trump and Barack Obama. He flew to London with his wife Erica and their daughter Poppy to check out the new home they’re building there. He made it up to Belfast to see his mom and dad and celebrate with friends. He spent time with his lifelong coach Michael Bannon and even spent…
