Lowry Shows-Up His Grand Slam Winning Best Friend Who Made A Four-Time Dubai Splash.

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Shane Lowry showed-up his Grand Slam winning best friend and muscle his way into a share of the lead heading into the weekend rounds of the Dubai Invitational in Dubai.

Lowry and Rory McIlroy were playing partners for the opening two days in the first tournament of the New Year and with McIlroy emerging with the leading first round honours at five-under.

However it was Lowry’s turn to shine on day two in the limited field event, picking-up five birdies in a three-under 68 to join Spaniard Nacho Elvira, also with a 68, in the stunning ‘sail-like’ clubhouse at five-under.  ‘

There has been no seperating the Irishman and the Spaniard who had been sharing ninth place heading into day two.

In stark contrast, McIlroy emerged on day two battling with his new clubs, managing just two birdies but also posting four bogeys in a clumsy three-over 74, and a round that included finding water on no fewer than four occasions to see ‘Rors’ drop back into a share of fifth in event being staged on the Dubai Creek GC course.

It was finding water down the 72nd hole two years ago at ‘The Creek’ that cost McIlroy the 2024 Dubai Invitational trophy.

Now on this occasion, McIlroy found water with his drive off the ‘island-like’ sixth hole.  He put his second shot at the par-5 13th into water guarding the green but managing to save par while there was no such luck at the next, finding ‘H2O’ off the tee to the right at the par-3 14th.

Best of friends, double-winning Ryder Cup team-mates but whose made the bigger ‘splash’ on day two of the 2026 Dubai Invitational. Image Getty

Then to add further insult to injury, McIlroy sent his drive off the 17th way left in Dubai Creek.

That’s four spanking brand new golf balls into the drink.

Lowry, and sporting newl RBC sponsor logos, banked the start he wanted in birdieing the opening two holes and then collecting further birdies at the sixth, 10th and 16th holes, and with only dropped shots at five and nine.

Lowry said: “Second round of the year you kind of don’t want this but I am very happy with my day’s work. People were saying to me on the putting green this morning ‘you must have looked out today and saw this’ and I’d rather there wasn’t as much wind but I’m able to deal with it.”

“I do quite enjoy the artistry of having to move the ball around and hitting 8-irons from 130 yards. It’s good fun. We had a great group today and when you’re out there having a bit of fun it’s easy to play good golf. That attitude for the rest of the year and I’ll be pretty good.”

And when asked if this year could be a best year yet, Lowry responded: “You have to believe that, if you don’t then you may as well pack it in. I’m working as well as I ever have. I feel like my game is as good as it’s been so we will see.”

McIlroy’s only birdies were at the third and 16th holes while he dropped shots at the sixth, ninth, 13th, 17th and where he found water left off the tee, while also bogeying the last.

The World No. 26 ranked Lowry is contesting his 297th DP World Tour event but has not won on the Tour since victory in the 2022 BMW PGA Championship at Tour HQ.

Scotland’s Connor Syme let slip his superb opening advantage, dropping from a share of second and back into a clubhouse tie for ninth after a poor second round 74.

The reigning KLM Open champ managed just two birdies but also dropped five shots including posting a double-bogey ‘6’ at the par-4 seventh hole he was playing as his 16th.

Syme put his second into a greenside bunker and took four shots to get up-and-down from 30-feet.

Also sharing ninth place is Grant Forrest, signing for 70 while also posting a 70 was Dubai-based Ewen Ferguson, a shot back of Forrest but sharing 15th place.

Calum Hill matched Syme’s 74 for a two-over tally and back tied 24th.

 



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