He warned us before the Open began that anything could happen on the last three holes but in the end, the Paddy Power Ambassador was home and hosed by the time he hit Calamity Corner.
Lowry told us he needed to ‘man up’ and get over the line on Sunday. And that’s exactly what the 32-year-old did on his way to clinching his first Major at Royal Portrush earlier today – by an incredible 6 shots from closest challenger Tommy Fleetwood.
An elated Lowry said afterwards:
It was so stressful but it’s the best feeling in the world.
“I feel like I’m having an out-of-body experience. I just couldn’t stop thinking about winning the Claret Jug all day, but my caddy Bo kept me grounded. I can’t wait to wake up tomorrow morning and see what it feels like.
“The crowds has been fantastic to me all week and I just love this place.”
Scenes in Portrush! #TheOpen pic.twitter.com/zRDbztyJOz
— The European Tour (@EuropeanTour) July 21, 2019
He’d been in this situation before at the US Open at Oakmont in 2016, when he led by four-shots on the final day, only to see it wiped out by Dustin Johnson.
But there was no repeat today as he blitzed the field to lift the Claret Jug to win convincingly and leave a couple of early-bird Paddy Power punters who backed him at 66/1 almost a year ago – (361 days to be exact) and 50/1 in early February, in clover too.
And apart from another big hike in the world rankings for the big man from Co Offaly, he also gets to play golf in the wind and the rain for the rest of his natural born with a life-long exemption from the Open Championship.
Fair play Shane. You deserve it.