Shane Lowry is wrapping up another memorable season over in Dubai this weekend at the DP World Tour Championship. During the week's practice rounds, Lowry was asked by the DP Tour's social media team who was the most famous person in his phone contacts.
We might have been expecting Niall Horan or Seamus Darby. But instead Lowry said it was Michael Jordan, the greatest basketball player of all time.
Shane Lowry's reply to a question about the most famous person in his phone contacts
It wasn't Seamus Darby📞👀 pic.twitter.com/qoS2Uadesu— Balls.ie (@ballsdotie) November 15, 2023
Jordan is a massive golf fan, and Lowry would rub shoulders in elite circles on the PGA Tour, but still, this was surprising. We didn't know Lowry had crossed paths with MJ, let alone exchanged numbers.
We've learned today they've shared a few glasses of wine together.
READ ALSO: Shane Lowry Is Embarrassed By One Incident During His Falling Out With Rory McIlroy
Shane Lowry on his post-Ryder Cup celebrations with Rory McIlroy
In today's Sunday Independent, Paul Kimmage has unearthed some pretty fascinating detail on how Jordan and Shane Lowry are connected. It's the final kicker in the two-part sit down with McIlroy and Lowry about the 2023 Ryder Cup, which combined are worth the price of annual subscription alone.
McIlroy had previously revealed to Sky Sports that the post-Ryder Cup celebrations continued back to Jupiter, Florida, where the pair live, and that Shane Lowry needed 'a week to recover'.
The pair have today explained that on the day they arrived back in Florida, Shane Lowry called over for lunch at McIlroy's. A bottle of wine was opened, Ryder Cup captain and close neighbour of Rory McIlroy Luke Donald soon popped his head in. Michael Jordan was eventually contacted and called over for a debrief on the Ryder Cup.
Jordan (with his cigar) has been a fixture at past Ryder Cups, including the 2006 edition at the K-Club but he was absent in Rome in 2023.
22 September 2006; Former NBA basketball star Michael Jordan watches the Friday afternoon's foursomes matches. 36th Ryder Cup Matches, K Club, Straffan, Co. Kildare, Ireland. Picture credit: David Maher / SPORTSFILE
Lowry also revealed he's a member of Michael Jordan's super-exclusive golf club The Grove XXIII, along with Mark Wahlberg, Wayne Gretzky, John Elway, and other VIPs of US sport.
Yet the interview captures Shane Lowry at his purest: he discusses badly wanting to ask Jordan for a selfie, but knowing it's not the right thing to do. He seems in genuinely in awe of Jordan despite the fact that he himself has achieved something only a select few people who pick up golf clubs could ever aspire to.
"Myself, Rory, Luke and MJ sitting around talking about the Ryder Cup (laughs) . . . not really how I envisioned the celebrations."
Anyone who's read Wright Thompson's essential profile of Michael Jordan will be aware of his charisma and mystique. You'd love to be fly on the wall in that room as those four discussed the previous weekend's golf.
You can read all of their thoughts on the 2023 Ryder Cup here and here.
