'It'd be nice to go toe-to-toe with him' - Lowry eyes Irish Open duel with McIlroy

When nan Irish Open past visited nan immaculately manicured links of Royal County Down successful 2015, nan expected complaint up nan leaderboard from a beardown location contingent ne'er materialised.

Instead, it was Denmark's Soren Kjeldsen who lifted nan trophy having beaten Eddie Pepperell and Bernd Wiesberger successful a play-off.

On that occasion, Darren Clarke was nan champion of nan location hopes, nan 2011 Open champion finishing 8 shots adrift of nan play-off. Graeme McDowell was a changeable worse disconnected pinch Shane Lowry and Padraig Harrington finishing extracurricular nan top-40.

And Rory McIlroy, nan tournament's header attraction, hadn't moreover made nan weekend.

Nine years ago, McIlroy's hopes of a stirring triumph successful his location region were emphatically shattered by an opening 80.

McIlroy has not go 1 of his generation's finest players without resilience, though. His adjacent Irish Open quality - astatine nan K Club successful 2016 - ended successful victory.

And connected his return to Royal County Down this week, those slumped shoulders of 9 years agone person made measurement for a assured strut during an awesome opening 36 holes that leaves nan world number 3 ominously tucked successful down nan leaders.

In his rearview reflector is Lowry, 3 shots further back. In caller years Lowry and McIlroy person shared champagne-soaked Ryder Cup celebrations, represented Team Ireland astatine nan Olympics and moreover won a PGA Tour together - nan Zurich Classic successful April.

The imaginable of them chasing each different location pinch their nationalist unfastened connected nan statement complete nan play is excessively tantalising not to deliberation about, however, pinch moreover Lowry considering nan anticipation arsenic he said to reporters aft his second-round 69.

"I deliberation it's what nan tourney wants and needs," said Lowry of a imaginable duel pinch nan four-time awesome winner.

"Obviously myself, and Rory is up there. It would beryllium awesome if nan 2 of america could springiness it a tally connected Sunday. You ne'er know.

"It would beryllium bully to spell toe-to-toe connected Sunday. We'll see. It's up to maine to get myself there. I'm beautiful judge he'll beryllium location anyway."

Those making their measurement to Newcastle connected Saturday will besides dream to spot Tom McKibbin occurrence his measurement into contention aft a battling second-round 69 saw him safely make nan cut.

McKibbin, who is one-over par, followed McIlroy astir Royal County Down arsenic a wide-eyed 12-year-old instrumentality successful 2015. But here, nan 21-year-old will beryllium nan 1 stopping for autographs and whitethorn moreover commencement to deliberation astir winning nan point pinch a bully information connected Saturday.

"It's ever a large woody for nan location guys to play good successful their nationalist open," said McIlroy, who played alongside McKibbin successful nan opening 2 rounds.

"This is nary different and to person a fewer of america up there, it only enhances nan tournament."

McIlroy would surely beryllium nan astir celebrated winner, though, particularly successful a twelvemonth which has to this constituent been defined by his heartbreaking near-miss astatine nan US Open.

With a gruelling PGA Tour play down him, he has trim a relaxed-but-focused fig this week arsenic he bids for a first master triumph successful Northern Ireland.

His temper has been helped by sleeping successful his ain furniture successful Holywood and a comfortable grouping pinch McKibbin, who now has McIlroy's friend Ricky McCormick connected nan bag.

But McIlroy besides revealed he has enjoyed returning location much successful nan past mates of years having been based successful Florida for complete a decade.

"My mindset has been I was excited to get backmost complete to Europe," he said.

"After that agelong long successful America successful nan summertime and nan 3 FedEx Cup play-off events, I was excited to get backmost to Europe and play immoderate play complete here.

"I'm trying to clasp that arsenic champion I can. I'm happy to beryllium here, I consciousness for illustration I've enjoyed coming backmost to Europe and coming location moreover much nan past mates of years and [I'm] conscionable excited to walk immoderate much clip complete here."