Shane Lowry reflects on PGA-LIV battle: 'The thing is, everyone is worrying for themselves'

Shane Lowry acknowledged it was "mad" to think he wouldn't play against European Ryder Cup team-mate Jon Rahm until next spring's Masters and expressed the hope that the game's leading players would soon be back playing together more regularly.

The reigning Masters champion's defection to the LIV Tour, confirmed earlier this month, represented perhaps the biggest body blow suffered by the PGA Tour since this new fissure broke open in the sport in early 2022.

Five days out from Christmas, Lowry, a major supporter of the established tours, spoke to the media in Dun Laoghaire at the launch of Amgen's sponsorship of the Irish Open, which is bound for the world famous links at Royal County Down in 2024. Lowry, who finished tied-3rd in an impressive display at the K Club in September, confirmed his participation this afternoon.

"There were a lot of rumours in the previous weeks," Lowry told RTÉ Sport.

"There was a lot of chat among the players, obviously my friends, Rory and the lads.

"There's no smoke without fire so we all thought he must be going. [I'm] not surprised, as I am not surprised by anything at the minute.

"It is what it is now. It's just mad to think we won't be playing against Jon Rahm until the Masters. He won't be rocking up to Riviera, Bay Hill, the Players, all the big tournaments on the PGA Tour. It's just mad to think that.

"I am just hopeful it all irons itself out soon, and we will be back playing together again soon. I don't know when that will be, but hopefully soon."

Rahm's departure for the rebel tour, for a deal reputedly in the range of €516 million, was especially significant given his initial show of loyalty to the PGA Tour.

Ahead of the 2022 US Open, the Spaniard stressed that a major financial offer