Esker Hill’s favourite son
After all the interviews,photographs and backslapping that accompanies life as an Irish Open winner, the 22-year-old melted into the crowds to meet some old friends from his home club Esker Hills on Sunday evening. Amongst them was men’s captain Frank Ryan.
“We were in the Carlsberg tent enjoying a few lemonades,” laughed Ryan who estimated that about 100 members had made the trip to Baltray on Sunday. “Shane’s girlfriend, Deirdre Molloy, rang him to say we were all here and would love to see him. A few minutes later, soaked to the skin, he strolled in with the Waterford Crystal trophy under his arm and bought us all a drink. It would have made some picture.”
Ryan has known Lowry since his teenage years. Sunday’s historic achievement doesn’t alter his opinion of the national champion.
“It is easy to say nice things about Shane. There is nothing to make up, he is just such a genuinely nice lad. There is an x factor about him. He is a great talent, but very composed as well, nothing ever knocked him off his stride.”
Former captain Paul Stewart concurred: “He is a genuine down to earth young man. We are just thrilled for him.
“Despite everything he has achieved Shane has always been a very good club man. Last year he was away with Ireland and wanted to come back to play in the Barton Cup but couldn’t because his flight was late. On another occasion he played in a mixed competition less than a week after winning the Mullingar Scratch Cup. He was always making time for the club.”
Long before Sunday, Lowry was the club’s most famous member. Little wonder. Revealed Stewart: “He didn’t take golf up until he was about 15. Maybe he didn’t have the same interest in football as his dad (All-Ireland winner Brendan). He played a bit of pitch and putt for a few years but nothing too serious, then he got into the golf and the rest is history.”
But history wasn’t made overnight. The skill set and mental resolve required to survive Sunday’s play-off drama was honed during countless hours around the Tullamore track.
“The club is 13-years-old and Shane first started playing about 2002. All his summer holidays were spent here, nearly every day you would see him playing and practicing. Naturally he has a huge amount of raw talent but he puts an awful lot of work into his game. Our first hole here is a par five. Shane would use a driver and a nine iron – us mere mortals wouldn’t even dare to dream that. Esker is quite a hilly course and often quite windy. Given that background, Shane wasn’t too put off by the wind and rain.”
So what was it like to be present to see one of their own achieve a slice of Irish golfing immortality? Anti-climatic according to Stewart. He revealed: “It was impossible to see because of the crowds! During the play-off, I was on the phone most of the time trying to get the details of where shots were landing off the TV at home and then providing a general commentary to about 50 people! The support for Shane was amazing. We met guys from clubs from all over Ireland and they were supporting Shane like he was one of their own. That was pretty special.”
Lowry’s missed putt on the 18th that forced the play-off didn’t dent Stewart’s confidence.
“He gathered himself superbly after that. He was smiling and joking on the way back to the tee. I knew then that he was far from finished.”
Last night and into the early hours of this morning, Lowry was back amongst his friends and family in his home from home – the clubhouse. Ryan said: “We had a great night in the club. There was music and a few speeches. We were going to have a party anyway regardless of the result once he made the cut. But this was beyond all our dreams.”
Yesterday the phone lines in Esker Hills were humming. “It is huge for the club,” admitted Ryan. “We have a smallish membership of about 250. But this will make a huge difference. Will it mean more visitors coming to the club? That’s hard to know. But we know for certain that this result has put us on the map.”
* For more details log onto www.eskerhillsgolf.com
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