Shane Lowry
Ireland's beloved Open Champion — who lifted the Claret Jug at Royal Portrush in 2019 amid scenes of extraordinary emotion, delivering one of the most cherished moments in the history of British and Irish golf.
Shane Lowry was born on 2 April 1987 in Clara, County Offaly, Ireland — a small midlands town that had no idea it was raising a future Open Champion. He came to professional golf by an unusual and compelling route: in 2009, as an amateur, he won the Irish Open at County Louth Golf Club. That victory — one of the most remarkable results in European Tour history — earned him his tour card and launched a professional career.
Lowry turned professional in 2009 and spent the next decade building steadily on the European Tour, accumulating wins, making Ryder Cup teams, and developing the game and the mental fortitude that would eventually carry him to a major. He is a big-hitting, attacking player with a personality to match — warm, open, humorous in interviews, and visibly passionate about competing for Ireland and Europe.
The moment that defines his career arrived on the afternoon of Sunday 21 July 2019. The Open Championship had returned to Royal Portrush in Northern Ireland for the first time since 1951 — a homecoming for the island of Ireland that had been anticipated for decades. Lowry entered the final round with a six-shot lead, and despite enormous pressure and deteriorating weather, he held his nerve magnificently, shooting a closing 72 to win by six strokes at -15. The reception from the Portrush crowd — tens of thousands of Irish fans draped in tricolours, overcome with emotion — is one of the defining images of modern golf.
He remains a beloved figure in Irish sport and a popular personality on the European Ryder Cup circuit, where his passion and competitiveness make him an ideal teammate alongside Rory McIlroy and Tommy Fleetwood.
The Open Championship 2019 — Royal Portrush, Northern Ireland. The first Open on Irish soil since 1951. A once-in-a-generation homecoming for the island of Ireland. Shane Lowry won it. By six shots. In front of tens of thousands of roaring, tearful Irish fans. The Claret Jug came to Ireland.
The significance of the venue cannot be overstated. Royal Portrush sits on the rugged Causeway Coast of Northern Ireland, just over the border from the Republic. For Irish golf fans on both sides of the border, this was their Open. When Lowry tapped in on the 18th green to win, the scenes were extraordinary — a standing ovation that lasted minutes, grown adults weeping, players and caddies embracing. It is one of the most emotionally charged finishes in the championship's 160-year history.
Lowry's final-round 72 in blustery conditions — having started six ahead — is often described as one of the finest pressure rounds in major championship history. He never looked like surrendering the lead, projecting a calm authority that belied the enormity of the moment.
| Year | Major | Venue | Score | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | The Open Championship | Royal Portrush, N. Ireland | -15 | WON |
| 2009 | Irish Open (amateur) | County Louth GC | — | WON (as amateur) |
Lowry has contended at multiple majors beyond his Open win, and regularly performs well in the US Open and PGA Championship. His record reflects a player capable of winning at the highest level.
One of the most remarkable results in European Tour history — Lowry, still an amateur, wins the Irish Open at County Louth Golf Club. The result earns him his European Tour card and he turns professional shortly after.
Multiple DP World Tour victories, Ryder Cup selections, and a growing reputation as one of Europe's most dependable major contenders. Lowry builds the game and mental strength required to win a major.
Lowry wins The Open at Royal Portrush by six strokes at -15. The first Open in Ireland since 1951. The reception from the crowd is one of sport's great emotional moments. The Claret Jug comes home to Ireland.
Lowry is part of the victorious European Ryder Cup team at Marco Simone, Rome, contributing to Europe's victory alongside teammates including McIlroy and MacIntyre.
Shane Lowry is enormously popular with UK and Irish TV audiences. His Open Championship win at Royal Portrush remains one of the most-watched golf moments in recent UK television history, and he receives warm coverage across Sky Sports, BBC Sport, and Irish broadcasting.
- The Open Championship: Sky Sports Golf + BBC — Lowry is always a fan favourite in Open coverage
- Ryder Cup: Sky Sports (live) — popular figure in European team coverage
- US Open & PGA Championship: Sky Sports Golf
- DP World Tour events: Sky Sports Golf
- PGA Tour (selected events): Sky Sports Golf