Sun shines on Shane

For more than three years, Shane Lowry has looked back on his famous victory in the Irish Open at Baltray with a variety of emotions.

Quite naturally, he was extremely proud that he could beat the cream of European professional golf while still a 22-year-old amateur. On the other hand, the constant reminder of his failure to repeat the achievement as a member of the paid ranks was growing more than a little tiresome.

The emotion in his voice at Vilamoura yesterday after his success in the Portugal Masters graphically demonstrated a combination of elation and relief at ending the barren spell.

“For the last four years, everyone has been referring to me as the fella who won the Irish Open as an amateur but now I have stated my purpose on the European Tour by winning such a big and prestigious tournament”, said Lowry, who went into the final round at the water strewn Oceanico lay-out four shots behind Austrian Bernd Wiesberger and three adrift of English Ryder Cup player Ross Fisher.

Yesterday’s large gallery in the delightful weather conditions at Vilamoura was packed with enthusiastic Irish followers who waved tricolours and chanted Olé, Olé, Olé to salute the Offaly man’s victory.

“It was like playing in front of an Irish crowd”, enthused the man who, after Portuguese golfer Pablo Martin, became only the second man to win both as an amateur and professional on the European Tour.

The decisive moment came at the 11th where the Clara native, now 25, struck a glorious seven iron that landed five feet short of the flag before rolling in for an eagle two that sent him into a share of the lead with Wiesberger and Fisher. He moved a stroke ahead of Fisher by the time he reached the 18th but drove into a bunker and had to settle for a bogey five, a closing round of 66 and a 14 under par total of 270. However, Fisher followed in the last match on the course by also dropping a shot, leaving Lowry the new champion by a single stroke.

The six foot, 17 stone giant departed the Algarve richer by €375,000 and is also set to benefit on many fronts from his win. He jumped 42 places in the European Tour’s Race to Dubai order of merit to 29th with earnings of €727,943, thus ensuring he is now sure of a place in the lucrative season ending DP World Tour Championship (prize fund €8m) in Dubai on November 22-25. He also earned a place in the field for the WGC-HSBC Championship ($7m (€5.4m)) on November 1-4. Shane recently forked out the $2,500 (€1,929) entry fee for the qualifying phases of the US Tour school but as he is virtually certain to move into the top 100 in the world today, he will be able to skip the first phase in Florida, on October 24-27.

Lowry was fulsome in his praise last night for his caddie, Dermot Byrne, one of three brothers who have been regulars on the European Tour for many years.

“A big thanks to Dermot, he was brilliant today and I can’t say enough about him”, he lauded. And as player and bagman were celebrating, Lowry’s manager Conor Ridge, head of Horizon Sports, was to be seen in the background keeping a lower profile, understandably so given that Ross Fisher is also a member of his Dublin-based group of players!

Also present to enjoy the occasion were his parents Brendan (a member of the Offaly team that deprived Kerry a five-in-a-row of All-Ireland football titles in 1982) and Brigid.

Lowry’s naturally smiling countenance and laid back manner have helped to make him one of the most popular members of the European Tour and the congratulatory messages were flowing in last night. 2010 US Open champion Graeme McDowell and Horizon stablemate put it succinctly when he tweeted: “Huge congrats to Lowry Boy. See you for a cold one next week pal.”

Meanwhile David Higgins crowned an all conquering year on the domestic circuit by capturing the Irish PGA championship at Mount Juliet yesterday. He beat 22-year-old assistant professional Noel Murray from Massereene by birdieing the third hole (the par 5 17th) with an immaculate pitch from 87 yards to two feet.