Criticism of McIlroy makes 'my blood boil' - Lowry

Venue: Royal Troon Dates: Thu 18-Sun 21 July

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Shane Lowry says he will "argue pinch anyone" who suggests Rory McIlroy's attempts to triumph a 5th awesome would beryllium boosted by a alteration of caddie.

McIlroy won nan Open a decade agone this week but, arsenic he arrived astatine Royal Troon for this year's championship, has not won 1 of nan sport's 4 biggest prizes since nan 2014 USPGA Championship.

The world number 2 has endured a number of adjacent calls since, possibly astir painfully astatine nan US Open past period wherever he bogeyed 3 of nan past 4 holes to suffer nan title to American Bryson DeChambeau by a azygous stroke.

In nan aftermath of that collapse, nan Northern Irishman's caddie and puerility friend Harry Diamond was criticised for nine action complete nan closing stretch, thing Lowry believes is nan merchandise of ignorance arsenic to what "goes connected week in, week out" connected nan PGA Tour.

"It makes my humor boil, to beryllium honest," nan Irishman told BBC Sport NI.

"They don't spot really difficult Harry useful and really bully he is for Rory.

"Just because he's not opinionated successful nan mediate of nan tee container for illustration different caddies who want to beryllium seen and heard doesn't mean that his sound isn't heard by Rory.

"When you get to tournaments, he's ever location earlier Rory, he's ever stepping nan course. He useful harder than immoderate of nan caddies retired here."

Lowry still believes nan 35-year-old McIlroy will summation his awesome tally, adding that it will beryllium "all nan sweeter" for nan disapproval he and Diamond person been subjected to successful caller times.

"He's nan champion caddie for Rory and I'll reason that pinch anyone who wants to reason it pinch me.

"It's reliable for him. Northern Ireland and Ireland is simply a mini place. I'm judge it's reliable for Harry to spell location and woody pinch each that but he'll beryllium alright.

"That'll make nan adjacent 1 they get together each nan sweeter."

Like McIlroy, Lowry will compete successful nan 152nd Open pinch his sanction already etched connected to nan Claret Jug having won astatine Royal Portrush successful 2019.

The 37-year-old will play his first 2 rounds this twelvemonth alongside a brace of chap one-time awesome champions successful his Ryder Cup team-mate Matthew Fitzpatrick and 2022 Open victor Cameron Smith.

The world number 33 says nan thought of winning different awesome is now "the only thing" that drives him.

"I've been connected circuit a agelong time, week connected week it tin get monotonous," he said.

"What really keeps maine going is nan large tournaments, nan fields and nan Ryder Cup.

"That's nan logic I get up successful nan greeting to spell and practice."

Lowry has 3 apical 10 finishes astatine nan fields since that triumph astatine Royal Portrush, though nary person travel astatine The Open.

"I cognize I person 1 but evidently I want 1 much and you want it truthful severely because you've tasted that success," he added.

"The 1 point it does springiness you, is that I cognize if I'm location aliases thereabouts connected Sunday, that I person what it takes.

"I don't cognize if I still person what it takes, but I cognize I did astatine a definite stage. Hopefully I tin do that again."