Majestic Shane Lowry the million dollar man

Shane Lowry from Clara, Co Offaly, last night pulled off the biggest win of his golfing career when claiming the first prize of US$1,570, 000 (€1.45m) in the WGC Bridgestone Invitational Championship at Akron, Ohio.

He birdied the final hole for a closing round of 66 and was warmly embraced by fellow Irish star Graeme McDowell as he departed the final green.

Lowry, a son of Brendan, the former Offaly All-Ireland Football medal winner, went into the final round of the $9.5 million World Championship event two shots behind Justin Rose of England and the veteran American Jim Furyk but as the leaders struggled at various points of the final round, the Irishman kept his composure in highly commendable fashion.

One of Lowry’s most important shots was a 17-foot putt for an unlikely par at the 14th after he had driven into a bunker. It enabled him to protect a precious two shot advantage over Bubba Watson and Furyk as the kind of pressure he had never previously experienced in his career was threatening to prove too much.

Lowry also owed a great deal to a remarkable wedge recovery at the 10th from behind towering oak trees that finished 18 inches from the cup.

As the round entered the closing holes, it was the turn of two times Masters champion Watson to produce a fabulous birdie at the 17th after looking in serious trouble off the tee.

It helped Watson to narrow the gap to a single stroke playing the 18th. When he just missed there for another birdie, the 28 year-old Irishman was left with two pars to claim the massive jackpot.

He chipped and putted the 17th for his regulation four before hitting a memorable recovery over the massive trees to the left of the final fairway that finished 12 feet from the hole, and he rolled the putt into the hole for a birdie three, a final round of 66, an 11-under par total of 279 and a victory that opens all sorts of doors at the very top of the professional golf world for the affable man from Offaly.

“This is a life changing victory, a whole new world has opened up for Shane and I am delighted for him”, said Paul McGinley, the successful 2014 European Ryder Cup captain.

“He got a few breaks but, so what, he has won a World Championship, has broken down all sorts of barriers, and can look forward to a great future.”