Sometimes the good guys do win.
Ten years ago, Shane Lowry wrote one of the great Irish sporting stories, winning the Irish Open as an amateur on a memorable day in Baltray, Co. Louth. Today, a decade on, and just a 100 miles up the road, he's written an even better story again.
In the first Open Championship played in Ireland since 1951, an Irish golfer dominated the field and put together four almost perfect rounds to win his first Major Championship.
The moment that sealed it for Shane Lowry, a dream turned into reality for the Irishman 🇮🇪 #TheOpen pic.twitter.com/QbsgNbGtW6
— The Open (@TheOpen) July 21, 2019
The Offaly man held his nerve in the wind and the rain better than any of those around him today, and backed up his wonderful 63 on Saturday, to secure the championship by six shots. The scenes coming down the 18th, when all doubt had vanished, are one that sports fans are sure to remember for many years with Lowry greeting his fans, his family, and his friends.
He was met just off the final hole by a tearful Graeme McDowell and by two time Open Champion Padraig Harrington.
Lowry, already one of Ireland's most popular sportspeople, has long been a huge and vocal fan of other Irish sport, and it makes sense that sporting greats around the country were glued to his exploits today and only too eager to offer their hearty congratulations, supporting him the way he so often supports them.
Never will there be a more popular winner of the @open. @ShaneLowryGolf has the common touch, great with the fans, down to earth and some golfer. Proud that we can call him our own. ☘️☘️☘️ #irisheyesaresmiling #whataday https://t.co/h2EAk7LKWE
— Kieran Donaghy (@starryboy14) July 21, 2019
Shane Lowry.... That is all https://t.co/B7T3bHR24z
— Carl Frampton MBE (@RealCFrampton) July 21, 2019
Well that was a lovely afternoons entertainment!!! 💪🏆
Get in u beauty @ShaneLowryGolf pic.twitter.com/L66lCrdQSo— Brian O'Driscoll (@BrianODriscoll) July 21, 2019
Olé olé olowry! Delighted for Shane and delighted for Portrush to have an Irish winner! #WhatAWeekend @ShaneLowryGolf #TheOpen
— Tommy Bowe (@TommyBowe) July 21, 2019
Champion golfer of the year @ShaneLowryGolf Couldn’t happen to a better man👏 @TheOpen
— AP McCoy (@AP_McCoy) July 21, 2019
Fu*k this is great for a small country lark, we have world class sports people all over 🇮🇪. Lowry is the new norm... kick on . Proud as tonight🇮🇪🇮🇪🇮🇪🇮🇪🇮🇪
— Ronan O Gara (@RonanOGara10) July 21, 2019
🏆🇮🇪 pic.twitter.com/QwRei1EcV5
— Simon Zebo (@SimonZebo) July 21, 2019
Shane Lowry - Open Winner - Major Winner 🏆.....this is unbelievable 👏🏼👏🏼#somedayforoffaly #totesemosh #TheOpen
— Niamh Briggs (@niamhbriggs15) July 21, 2019
Ridiculous performance @ShaneLowryGolf
So solid under pressure, today has been more like a victory lap than the final round of a major.
Congrats #RoyalPortrush on an amazing championship but more importantly congrats to an amazing champion #ShaneLowry 🏆#TheOpen
☘️☘️☘️☘️☘️— Darren Cave (@darrencave13) July 21, 2019
Amazing stuff @ShaneLowryGolf that’s what it’s all about!! #TheOpen pic.twitter.com/ZiBb2iK6H9
— Michael Conlan (@mickconlan11) July 21, 2019
@ShaneLowryGolf is the man!! 🍀🇮🇪😃 #theopen2019
— Paddy Barnes OLY (@paddyb_ireland) July 21, 2019
So happy for @ShaneLowryGolf an absolute gent and super ambassador for Ireland. #TheOpenChampionship
— Brian Gregan (@BrianGregan89) July 21, 2019
YES! YES! YES! Get in there @ShaneLowryGolf. What a man. Enjoy the party. 🇮🇪🇮🇪 #TheOpen
— Kevin Kilbane (@kdkilbane77) July 21, 2019
Congrats @ShaneLowryGolf , class performance & super win. V. emotional scenes on 18th with all the family. Going to be some craic in Offaly till Christmas 💪. Exciting times ahead now #rydercup 👌 #TheOpen
— Brendan Cummins (@BrenCummins1) July 21, 2019
Congratulations Shane Lowry 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻☘️🇮🇪☘️ #theopen
— Stephen Elliott (@SleevesElliott) July 21, 2019
Scenes... Well done @ShaneLowryGolf https://t.co/Sb9PIOn8ku
— Aidan O Mahony (@GmailMahony) July 21, 2019
A "Major Winner" well done @ShaneLowryGolf #iceinthevains pic.twitter.com/4yhQWFLYFD
— John Doyle (@johnnydoyle78) July 21, 2019
What a day to be Irish ☘️! Outstanding @ShaneLowryGolf . Not just pip it but absolutely smash the competition and the course !
— Frankie Sheahan (@FrankieSheahan) July 21, 2019
Unbelievable to see a humble Offaly GAA man win the Open. Hon @ShaneLowryGolf. Up Ireland 👍🏻👍🏻
— Rory Jacob (@RoryJacob) July 21, 2019
Not even Maura coupling up with Greg and winning Love island would top this! Congrats @ShaneLowryGolf ya good thing! Unbelievable scenes! What a man #TheOpen #LoveIsIand
— Damien Comer (@DamoComer) July 21, 2019
What a feeling for @ShaneLowryGolf walking up to the 18th, nice to be able to enjoy the moment. One of the good guys 😍
— Darran O'Sullivan (@Darransull86) July 21, 2019
They say good things happen to good people. Well no better man than @ShaneLowryGolf . What a performance #emotional #classact #BritishOpen
— Bernard Jackman (@bernardjackman) July 21, 2019
I’m not crying your crying!
— Paul Dunne (@dunners11) July 21, 2019
We hope Shane enjoys tonight and many nights to come. How he deserves it!
