Rory McIlroy shows true colors with Irish response to disaster at The Open

Rory McIlroy is all in for his fellow Irishman Shane Lowry at The Open Championship, even though he didn't make it past Friday's cut himself.

McIlroy had a stinker at Royal Troon, even hitting himself in the face with his club at one point , missing The Open's cut for just the third time in his career, finishing 11-over-par after two rounds.

This hiccup means his wait for a fifth major title goes on into its 11th year, with his last big win being the PGA Championship back in 2014 .

• Rory McIlroy makes sad admission as he realises what he's been missing for last five years

• Shane Lowry involved in tense exchange with cameraman at The Open

Gutted about his own performance, McIlroy was quick to back his buddy Lowry , who's smashing it at the top of the leaderboard at seven-under, holding a two-shot lead over Justin Rose and Dan Brown.

"I can't wait to watch this weekend. [Lowry is] so creative. I think even just watching the coverage the last couple of days, that little sort of squeezy cut that he can hit, especially going out in that front nine, is going to be really helpful to him. Yeah, look, he relishes these conditions."

"He loves playing these conditions. The Open Championship is his favourite tournament in the world. He gets more up for this than anything else. I'm looking forward to cheering him on and hopefully him getting his second [Claret] Jug."

As Lowry gears up for an exciting weekend, McIlroy has to bounce back and figure out his next steps. His chase for another major championship win remains, but with this year's majors done and dusted, he's got his eyes on the upcoming Olympic Games in Paris.

McIlroy is all set for his second Olympic outing, representing Ireland with Lowry at Le Golf National. "There's still a few things there's left to play for," he remarked on Friday.

"Obviously the majors have come and gone, but to sort of refocus and try to reset for the Olympics, which will be another cool experience."

With the Olympics in sight and titles to chase on both sides of the Atlantic, McIlroy's competitive edge remains sharp throughout the year. His 2024 campaign has been marked by wins on both the DP World Tour and PGA Tour.

• Star golfer walks off and withdraws from The Open after poor shot
• Amanda Balionis congratulates Robert MacIntyre with emotional post after Scottish Open win

He kicked off the year with a triumphant fourth victory at the Dubai Desert Classic in January, and then clinched another win stateside at the Wells Fargo Championship in Mayhis fourth triumph at this event too. Although he didn't leave a major mark at the Masters and US PGA, he came tantalisingly close to success at last month's US Open.

Leading by two shots with only five holes to go, McIlroy's final four holes were played in three-over-par, allowing Bryson DeChambeau to steal the win at the 72nd hole.

For the latest local news and features on Irish America, visit our homepage here .