Shane Lowry sent a text to Rory McIlroy declining to join his victory celebrations after the 2026 Masters, citing his own disappointment from another final-round collapse. Lowry finished tied for 30th after shooting an 80 on Sunday at Augusta National. He shared the story during Thursday's opening round of the RBC Heritage.
Shane Lowry entered the final round of the 2026 Masters at nine under par, trailing co-leaders Rory McIlroy and Cameron Young by two shots. However, he struggled with an 80, ending at one under for a tied 30th place. This marked his second consecutive year of a Sunday meltdown at Augusta, following an 81 and tied 42nd in 2025, Lowry told Golf Channel on Thursday at the RBC Heritage. McIlroy claimed his second green jacket that day. McIlroy's victory differed from last year, when Lowry joined the party with a case of wine despite his own T42 finish. This time, feeling down after hugging McIlroy at the clubhouse, Lowry texted him Sunday night: “Honestly, I’m so happy for you, but I don’t have it in me tonight to go over and celebrate.” He stayed home with family instead. Lowry described the year as testing, pointing to a late collapse at the 2026 Cognizant Classic where double bogeys at 16 and 17 cost him a three-shot lead to Nico Echavarria. His PGA Tour winless streak continues since the 2019 Open Championship. At the RBC Heritage, he shot a one-under 70 in the opening round, calling it a step toward regaining momentum. “This game has given me a lot of punches in the gut this year,” Lowry said.
