What a privilege it was to see Shane Lowry crowned Open Champion at Royal Portrush.
I had a ringside seat commentating inside the ropes and there wasn’t a dry eye in the house as Lowry wrote his name in the annals of Irish sporting history.
Shane’s parents, wife Wendy and young daughter Iris all got to share in the emotion of the moment as did fellow major winners Padraig Harrington and Graeme McDowell.
I even got in on the act myself, warmly embracing one of the most affable guys in the game and a player I always enjoyed hanging out with when he first came on tour.
I always believed Shane had the game to do big things at the top end of the sport and to see him fulfil his potential on such an elevated stage was very special.
When sport and folklore come together, it is an intoxicating mix and I believe that’s what we witnessed on the North Coast.
An Irish champion winning his maiden major on the Open’s historic return to Royal Portrush?
Lowry’s achievement can be filed under ‘F’ for Fairytale.
I’m delighted for Shane and also his caddie Brian ‘Bo’ Martin, who was on my bag on the European Tour a number of years ago.
Bo was my best man and hails from Ardglass in County Down so winning a major at Royal Portrush will mean a lot to him.
Lowry’s success was the climax to a momentous week and I firmly hope the Open makes a swift return to Royal Portrush, with whispers suggesting it could do so in just five or six years’ time.
The Dunluce Links provided a wonderful backdrop to one of Irish sport’s greatest ever moments and something that will stay with me for a very long time.
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