Lowry breaks into top 100 in world rankings

Ireland’s Shane Lowry has moved up from 128th to 74th in the world after his victory at the Portugal Masters yesterday.

The Offaly man became only the second player to win on the European Tour as both an amateur and a professional.

The 25-year-old, who captured the Irish Open in an amazing Tour debut three years ago, wonby a stroke in Vilamoura when England’s Ross Fisher three-putted the final hole.

“I cannot believe this,” he said after coming from four behind Austrian Bernd Wiesberger in the final round.

“I can’t explain how I feel really. It’s a dream come true – I’m over the moon."

Lowry added: ``Everyone was referring to me as the fella who won the Irish Open as an amateur, but now I've won such a prestigious event I don't know what to say.''

This is the best hangover I've ever had 🏆 #winning

— Shane Lowry (@ShaneLowryGolf) October 15, 2012

Latest leading positions in the world golf rankings:

1 Rory McIlroy 12.51pts, 2 Tiger Woods 9.37, 3 Luke Donald 8.93, 4 Lee Westwood 7.00, 5 Justin Rose 6.27, 6 Adam Scott 6.18, 7 Bubba Watson 6.03, 8 Webb Simpson 5.87, 9 Brandt Snedeker 5.83, 10 Jason Dufner 5.76 11 Steve Stricker 5.54, 12 Louis Oosthuizen 5.48, 13 Matt Kuchar 5.33, 14 Dustin Johnson 5.27, 15 Keegan Bradley 5.25, 16 Zach Johnson 5.10, 17 Phil Mickelson 4.99, 18 Graeme McDowell 4.66, 19 Sergio Garcia 4.64, 20 Hunter Mahan 4.56

Other leading Europeans: 25 Peter Hanson, 26 Ian Poulter, 29 Paul Lawrie, 30 Francesco Molinari, 32 Carl Pettersson, 33 Martin Kaymer, 35 Nicolas Colsaerts, 36 Gonzalo Fernandez-Castano, 42 David Lynn, 45 Thomas Bjorn, 47 Fredrik Jacobson, 48 Martin Laird, 49 Rafael Cabrera Bello, 51 Jamie Donaldson, 52 Alexander Noren, 54 Padraig Harrington, 57 Simon Dyson, 59 Thorbjorn Olesen, 60 Richie Ramsay, 62 Marcel Siem, 64 Anders Hansen, 65 Bernd Wiesberger, 72 Alvaro Quiros, 74 Shane Lowry, 75 Jonas Blixt, 77 Pablo Larrazabal, 80 Matteo Manassero, 84 Robert Karlsson, 87 Miguel Angel Jimenez, 89 Robert Rock, 95 Danny Willett, 96 Ross Fisher