Recently, it was reported by The Telegraph that the PGA of America was considering paying team members $400,000 each for the 2025 Ryder Cup. Whoops—that’s always been a topic of controversy among golfers. Some believe the Ryder Cup is more about pride than profit, while others think players should get compensated for their efforts. Rory McIlroy, for example, once told the BBC, “I personally would pay for the privilege to play on the Ryder Cup.”

Fast forward to today, and it seems the dust hasn’t completely settled—at least not for Shane Lowry. A recent post by Golf.com featured a collage of Ryder Cup moments, Max Homa playfully captioned, “Imagine if Joe LaCava had a flag to plant in Rome.” The comment was innocent enough, poking fun at the intensity of the event. But Lowry didn’t miss the chance to take a shot at LaCava, leaving a cheeky, 8-word response: “You only do that when you win… right?”

Rory McIlroy and Shane Lowry: A Bond Beyond the Fairways

Rory McIlroy once called Shane Lowry one of his “biggest advocates,” and he wasn’t exaggerating. Lowry has always been quick to defend his friend, especially during tough times. When McIlroy faced heavy criticism after his abrupt exit from the 2024 U.S. Open at Pinehurst—leaving without shaking hands with Bryson DeChambeau—Lowry was one of the first to stand up for him. Sharing a picture of the two on Instagram, Lowry wrote, “What Rory has gone through is as tough as it gets in our game, but I would like to encourage people, if anything, please be kind.”