Rory McIlroy arrives at Zurich Classic after ‘amazing’ Masters win celebrations

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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 more time with his caddie and best friend Harry Diamond.

Often in these moments, a champion will go on a big media tour, popping on the late night shows or throwing the first pitch at a ball game. McIlroy went home to be with those closest to him.

“Just to celebrate with the people that have been a part of this whole thing for my entire career, my entire life, was absolutely amazing,” McIlroy said.

Back at his house in Florida Monday morning, he felt so bad he could hardly get out of bed.

“As you can hear, I’ve picked up a bit of a cold on the way,” he said in a hoarse voice, “so feeling a little bit under the weather.”

McIlroy’s win, conquering demons he compiled over the last 14 years at Augusta National and ending an 11-year major drought, became the biggest story in sports. The image of him collapsing to his knees in visceral relief is ingrained in people’s minds. The shots of him hugging his daughter, embracing Lowry or choking up about Diamond have gone viral.

Rory McIlroy’s relief after winning the Masters made for some iconic photographs. (Kyle Terada / Imagn Images)

McIlroy has been in the public eye since he was a kid, and the sporting world watched as he went from an unstoppable young force to modern golf’s most tortured soul. His moment of unburdening cut through on an international level.

“I think people can see themselves in the struggle at times,” McIlroy said, “and everything that you sort of try to put into getting the best out of yourself in that journey. I think people watching someone finally get it done, something they’ve been trying to do for a decade plus, I think it resonated with a lot of people.”

A year ago, McIlroy agreed to play the Zurich — a lower pedigree event on the PGA Tour calendar but its lone team event — with his buddy Lowry because he needed to have fun again. It was a tricky time in McIlroy’s life. Another year of missed opportunities. And he was trying to return to the PGA Tour policy board, a move his peers rejected.

He went to New Orleans to let go a little, eating swank dinners in the French Quarter over bottles of wine. By the time they won via playoff, McIlroy was in such a good mood, he let down his guard and sang Journey’s “Don’t Stop Believing” to a tent of screaming fans.

“I think it probably injected a little bit of joy back into golf for me in some way, which I think is really, really important, not to lose that,” McIlroy said.

This is not a drill. Rory McIlroy singing Don’t Stop Believing pic.twitter.com/y5PkEDoqo4

— Brody Miller (@BrodyAMiller) April 28, 2024

Lowry certainly wouldn’t have blamed McIlroy for skipping the Zurich this year to keep reveling in his moment. Lowry himself was in contention to win the Masters, and when he saw McIlroy’s double on the 13th hole on the leaderboard, he said to his caddie, “No matter what happens the next few holes, I think we’re going to do well to get into New Orleans.”

“If things didn’t go his way, I don’t think he’d want to be here, and I thought if things did go his way, he’d want to be somewhere else.”

Now, they’re here.

Lowry said he’s excited to see the crowd reaction for McIlroy. Meanwhile, McIlroy hasn’t hit a ball in 10 days. He’s just happy to be on a golf course and not have to stress.

“I do think that the whole day on Sunday at Augusta, I don’t think I’ll have to ever play a harder round of golf in my life,” he said. “I certainly don’t want to be placed back on that 15th tee box on that Sunday afternoon.”

(Top photo: Michael Reaves / Getty Images)

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