**Sky Sports Issues On-Air Apologies Following Swearing Incidents from Rory McIlroy and Shane Lowry at The Open**
Sky Sports found themselves in the awkward position of issuing apologies twice in quick succession during Friday’s second round at The Open Championship in Royal Portrush, after microphones captured moments of strong language from Rory McIlroy and Shane Lowry. The unpredictable weather and intensifying competition saw players’ tempers fray, providing viewers with far more than just drama on the greens.
The morning had begun under a heavy shroud of cloud, which quickly gave way to bursts of rain and blustering winds. With gusts reaching 10mph, conditions on the challenging Northern Irish course tested the patience and skill of some of the world’s best golfers. While The Open is no stranger to unpredictable weather, the shifting elements certainly played their part in ratcheting up the tension.
Rory McIlroy, hoping to put to rest the ghosts of his 2019 cut at the same venue, was pushing hard to add a second Claret Jug to his collection. Returning to play in front of a home crowd added both incentive and pressure for McIlroy. The Northern Irishman was paired with fellow Ryder Cup competitor Tommy Fleetwood and former world number one Justin Thomas, setting up a high-profile grouping that would inevitably be under intense scrutiny.
During the back nine, McIlroy’s frustration reached boiling point after a disappointing approach shot on the 15th hole. Despite an excellent tee shot that put him in an ideal position, his following effort failed to find the green and rolled back. His reaction—an expletive that was clearly picked up by course microphones—left commentators needing to quickly address the slip. Laura Davies, commentating for Sky Sports, remarked on the error and the missed opportunity, while her colleague Andrew Coltart promptly interjected with, “An apology for the language from Rory earlier on.”
It was not long before Sky Sports found themselves in familiar territory. Shane Lowry, the 2019 Open Champion and close friend of McIlroy, also let his emotions spill over while contending with the elements at Royal Portrush. His trouble began on the 11th tee amid heavy rain, when an errant shot into the left rough provoked another explicit reaction. Lowry’s frustration was captured live, leading commentator Ewan Murray to immediately issue another apology to viewers for the language that had made it to air.
The mounting pressure, combined with the notoriously capricious weather at Portrush, had evidently made conditions testing for even the most experienced players. Lowry, whose confidence had been apparent earlier in the tournament, was audibly disheartened as he found himself in need of a challenging recovery shot to maintain his score.
By the close of Friday’s round, both McIlroy and Lowry had made the cut—with McIlroy at three under par and Lowry even—but the pair trailed well behind the tournament leader, Scottie Scheffler. Scheffler’s commanding performance placed him at ten under par, putting him in an enviable position going into the weekend on the hunt for his first major title on UK soil.
The events at Royal Portrush highlight the emotional highs and lows that elite sport can bring, especially under testing conditions. Both McIlroy and Lowry are seasoned professionals with major wins to their names, but even they can fall foul of the pressure cooker environment, much to the occasional embarrassment of broadcasters.
Sky Sports, while quick to offer apologies, were left in no doubt as to how the intensity of The Open can affect even the most composed athletes. For many spectators, these moments underscored the raw reality of championship golf—where fortunes can turn on a single shot, and frustration sometimes spills over.
As the tournament continues, attention will shift back to the action and whether McIlroy, Lowry, and the rest of the field can mount a challenge to catch Scheffler at the top. With more unsettled weather forecast and the stakes growing higher, viewers should expect plenty of drama—on and off the course—before the Claret Jug finds a new home.