'champion Lowry Recalls Incredible Scenes As Open Returns To Portrush'

"Have you heard a sound for illustration that connected a play people ever before?"

I callback bellowing those words to BBC Radio 5 Live listeners amid nan celebratory din that accompanied Shane Lowry tapping successful to complete his tumultuous triumph astatine nan 2019 Open.

That short putt astatine Royal Portrush capped 1 of nan top performances ever witnessed astatine golf's astir historical championship. He vanished astatine 15 nether par, six clear of England's Tommy Fleetwood.

It was nary cliff hanger, nan result had been known pinch an hr to spare but it was still a decently captivating infinitesimal that prompted specified a afloat throated roar. An Irishman ending nan 68-year hold to crown an Open champion connected nan land of Ireland.

This was a nigh-on cleanable book for 1 of nan astir eagerly anticipated championships ever played. It was specified a occurrence it returns to Northern Ireland's Antrim Coast this coming week, conscionable six years connected from that bonzer competition.

Back then, erstwhile awesome winners Rory McIlroy, Graeme McDowell, Padraig Harrington and Darren Clarke had been astatine nan centre of nan section pre-tournament hype.

Lowry only came to nan fore erstwhile nan play began.

An early 67 put him wrong a changeable of first-round leader JB Holmes. Lowry matched that people nan pursuing time earlier firing a scintillating 63 to return a four-shot lead into nan last day.

By nan extremity he was a rampant winner. "The Saturday afternoon, nan past fewer holes was nan astir unthinkable acquisition my full career," Lowry told BBC Sport.

"Like, Sunday it was unbelievable, but Saturday was 1 of those days that I will retrieve forever.

"Martin Slumbers (the erstwhile R&A main executive) said it is 1 of his astir memorable Open moments and to perceive him opportunity that was beautiful cool.

"Standing successful nan scorers afterwards and nan crowd singing and each that type of stuff, and I was playing, you know, immoderate of nan champion play successful my life. I felt for illustration I couldn't do thing wrong."

Who knows what mightiness person happened had Fleetwood made nan astir of a birdie chance connected nan first spread of nan last information and Lowry had missed a challenging bogey putt connected that opening green.

His lead mightiness person shrunk to a azygous changeable successful nan blink of an eye. But it did not and Lowry completed a composed 72 to cruise home, roared connected by nan joyfully partisan galleries.

"Sunday was a reliable day, but I sewage done it beautiful good and thankfully I came retired connected nan correct side," said nan 38-year-old from Clara, County Offaly.

It was erstwhile Lowry birdied nan 15th moments aft Fleetwood's double bogey astatine nan erstwhile spread that nan tourney was efficaciously over. The Irishman's father, Brendan, had someway sewage himself wrong nan ropes and was punching nan aerial pinch delight.

"The first clip I saw him wrong nan ropes was connected nan 4th green," Lowry recalled. "And I made birdie there.

"Obviously he wouldn't person been capable to spot overmuch extracurricular nan ropes.

"But that's why I do each this. You do it for your family and erstwhile I sewage to nan 18th green, erstwhile you spot everyone astatine nan backmost of nan green, that's erstwhile it deed maine really difficult what I had conscionable achieved."

Until past he had been successful that often elusive intelligence area of full concentration. It was arsenic though he was nan only personification unaware of nan cold, bedewed upwind - nan only man connected nan people not wearing waterproofs.

"I put them connected on nan eighth greenish and I 3 putted," he recalled. "And past I took them disconnected for my tee changeable connected nine.

"Yeah, I was wearing a short sleeve, for illustration a gilet apical and it was beautiful cold. I don't cognize what I was thinking, I couldn't eat, I was truthful nervous.

"I don't cognize what I was emotion but I knew what was astatine liking and if I didn't win really bad it would person been. I conscionable didn't consciousness nan upwind for illustration everyone else!"

Lowry did not decently observe until he escaped Portrush and arrived successful Dublin precocious that Sunday night. "I drove there," he said.

"I didn't person a portion until I sewage to Dublin. I mean what a nighttime it was and nan days that followed. And if I did it again, I'd do nan aforesaid each complete again.

"You request to observe your achievements successful this crippled because we suffer truthful much."

Lowry had logic for optimism heading into that 2019 Open. He had won early that twelvemonth successful Abu Dhabi and decent shape followed. But he besides knew it could beryllium a challenging week connected location soil.

"It's funny, I ever find Irish Opens rather difficult to spell and play successful and execute successful because I effort truthful difficult and expect a batch of myself," said nan man who landed that title arsenic an amateur successful 2009.

"Ultimately I want to win. I really, really want to triumph different one. And to spell and play The Open successful Portrush was a full different level of that anticipation and that want to succeed.

"But for immoderate reason, it conscionable went good that week for me. I went successful location a small spot much nether nan radar than I usually would.

"Because of Rory and GMac and Clarkie and nan Portrush relationship there, I felt for illustration I was conscionable capable to spell up and do my thing."

He knows returning this clip will not person nan aforesaid dynamic. While Masters champion McIlroy will still beryllium centre of attention, nan spotlight will besides radiance connected Lowry.

"The first clip successful Portrush I felt location was nary anticipation connected maine isolated from myself and you cognize it was each a Rory show. But I consciousness for illustration it's gonna beryllium a small spot different this time," he said.

"There will person to beryllium thing successful spot for maine to spell astir my business nan measurement I want because, ultimately, yes, it's awesome - I won location past clip - but I'm not going to beryllium happy unless I execute again location this time."

Since that triumph he has claimed nan 2022 BMW PGA title astatine Wentworth and won past year's Zurich Classic pairs arena pinch McIlroy connected nan PGA Tour. Lowry climbed into nan world's apical 10 earlier this twelvemonth and is presently 18th successful nan standings.

He was classed 33rd erstwhile he lifted nan Claret Jug and now a seasoned of 2 Ryder Cups he is intelligibly a finer subordinate amended equipped to woody pinch nan game's biggest moments than he was successful 2019.

He laughed erstwhile I put this to him. "You person possibly fixed maine thing there, truthful possibly I'll usage that," he smiled.

"I ever consciousness for illustration erstwhile I spell to nan Open Championship, if I tin stone up mentally successful nan correct spot I tin execute thing bully that week.

"You know, not only that week successful Portrush, but moreover Troon past twelvemonth (finishing sixth).

"I consciousness for illustration I didn't get nan champion retired of myself successful Troon, albeit I had a awesome week, truthful I'll fig thing retired and do my champion for this one."