'I can't believe it' - Lowry powers to record Irish Open win

Irish Open final leaderboard

-23 S Lowry (Ire); -12 P Reed (US), J Niemann (Chi); -11 R Neergaard-Petersen (Den); -10 T McKibbin (NI), G De Leo (Ita)

Selected others:-9 A Fitzpatrick (Eng), J Skov Olesen (Den); -8 E Ferguson (Sco); -7 P Waring (Eng); -6 S Garcia (Spa), M Wallace (Eng), R MacIntyre (Sco); -4 J Rahm (Spa), D Law (Sco), R Fisher (Eng); -3 L Nolan (Ire); -1 R McIlroy (NI), +2 B Koepka (US).

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Shane Lowry produced a frontrunning masterclass to clinch a record 11-shot win at the Irish Open and end his four-year wait for an individual title in emphatic style.

The 39-year-old Irishman, who entered the final round four strokes clear of Jacob Skov Olesen, carded a seven-under 63 to win his national open for the second time - 17 years after his first - amid joyous scenes at Trump International Golf Links in Doonbeg, County Clare.

Under the watchful gaze of visiting US President Donald Trump - who presented him with the trophy - and roared home by thousands of fans, Lowry mixed eight birdies and one bogey to canter to his first title since September 2022.

Having squandered chances to win in Dubai and Florida earlier this year, Lowry was a study in intensity and focus until the emotion poured out of him after he sunk a 29-foot birdie putt on the final green.

"This year has been quite difficult on the course for me," said the 2019 Open champion.

"I had a few chances to win. To come here this week and do this, I don't know, I just don't do things like half-measures."

Lowry shot 67-62-65-63 for a tournament record score of 257, while American Patrick Reed and Chile's Joaquin Niemann shared second place on 12 under.

Lowry - who posted a course-record 62 to seize control of the tournament on Friday - stumbled down the stretch earlier this year while chasing wins at the Dubai Invitational and Cognizant Classic in Florida.

He also collapsed to an eight-over 80 in the final round of the Masters having trailed eventual winner Rory McIlroy by just two shots entering the final day, which he highlighted as an especially difficult experience during his post-victory remarks at Doonbeg.

On Sunday, however, he never gave the chasing pack hope as he birdied four of his first eight holes to reach 20 under, with a holed 43-footer for a birdie two on the seventh undoubtedly the highlight.

While he stumbled momentarily with a bogey on nine, he bounced right back on the next and birdied 14 before sinking another monster putt on 15.

Having nearly chipped in for another unlikely birdie on 16, Lowry parred the next before drawing one last roar from the crowd when he poured in a 29-footer on the final hole.

"A lot of things have went right for me but this has been the most spectacular week," added Lowry, who savoured another win on home soil after watching Irish boxer Katie Taylor win her farewell fight at Dublin's Croke Park last week.

"It's just mad. I can't believe it. My mum was just standing there. I have my wife and my kids back in Florida.

"When things are not going well at this level, it's hard at home as well but my wife has been a huge support and my kids, I love them so much. I'm so happy for them.

"I can't wait to bring a trophy home. My daughter is always asking, 'when are you going to bring a trophy home?', so I'm going to bring a trophy home."

Denmark's Rasmus Neergaard-Petersen matched Lowry's 63 to finish fourth, while Northern Ireland's Tom McKibbin shot 67 to secure a top-five finish.

England's Alex Fitzpatrick (65) and Scotland's Ewen Ferguson (64) also finished strongly to seal top-10 finishes, while 2025 winner Rory McIlroy closed with a 67 to finish a disappointing week in a tie for 41st, 22 shots adrift of Lowry.

Reed's tie for second will also widen his lead over McIlroy at the top of the season-long Race to Dubai rankings.

However, six-time major winner McIlroy insisted he was reasonably satisfied with his game heading into the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth, which begins on Thursday.

"I think overall, I've seen enough good stuff this week to give me encouragement going into next week, a golf course that I know well and a golf course that I've had success on," said McIlroy, who tumbled down the leaderboard with a 74 on Saturday.

"[It] obviously wasn't the week that I wanted but at the same time, I don't feel too far away, and I feel good about going into Wentworth next week."