Fresh off his record-breaking Irish Open triumph, Shane Lowry’s biggest supporter was, as always, watching on: his wife Wendy Honner.
But who is the woman behind one of Ireland’s most beloved golfers?
A proud Irishwoman from Co Laois, Wendy is understood to be close to her two sisters, Rachel and Hannah, and her mother Iris.
Shane Lowry with his wife Wendy at the RTE Sports Awards in 2015. Pic: Piaras O Midheach/Sportsfile
Before life on the international golf circuit, she had a career of her own as a nurse, working with young patients at Temple Street Children’s Hospital in Dublin.
She hung up the scrubs around the time she and Shane married in 2016.
How did they meet?
Shane and Wendy’s story began back in 2012, when the pair crossed paths on a night out.
The connection was instant, and after several years together, Shane proposed during a trip to Dubai in 2014.
They married two years later in a low-key ceremony in New York City, with Lowry later describing the day as wonderfully relaxed.
Shane Lowry embraces his wife Wendy Honner on the 18th green after winning the Abu Dhabi Golf Championship. (Pic: KARIM SAHIB/AFP/Getty Images)
The rock behind the star
Lowry has never been shy about crediting his wife for his success, calling her his ‘rock’ and his number one fan through the highs and the many lows of professional golf.
‘I owe a lot to her,’ he said after his famous 2019 Open Championship win at Royal Portrush. Wendy and their eldest daughter were waiting for him just off the 18th green on that unforgettable day – one of Irish sport’s great moments.
Family life
The couple have two daughters, Iris, born in 2017 and named after Wendy’s mother, and Ivy, who arrived in 2021.
The family are based in Florida, where many top golfers live, but return home to Ireland regularly.
AUGUSTA, GEORGIA – APRIL 8: Shane Lowry of Ireland poses with wife Wendy & daughters Iris and Ivy during the Par Three Contest prior to the 2026 Masters Tournament at Augusta National Golf Club on April 8, 2026 in Augusta, Georgia. (Photo by David Cannon/Getty Images)
Lowry has often spoken about how becoming a father has grounded him, saying his daughters could not care less what he shoots.
Wendy tends to keep a low profile, though she is a familiar face cheering Shane on at the majors and Ryder Cups.
On social media she goes by @wendyirislowry, offering the occasional glimpse of family life, but she largely leaves the spotlight to her husband.