An All-Ireland winner with Offaly some 35 years ago, Brendan Lowry was moved to tears watching his son Shane claim his first ever Major.
Shane Lowry rarely looked in bother at Royal Portrush, on Sunday, as he saw off a world-class field to win the 148th Open Championship. Lowry carded a final round of 72 to win the Claret Jug by six strokes and change his life forever.
His march to golfing glory was followed every shot and stride by his beaming father, Brendan Lowry. Down in Clara, the Lowry family was already renowned for Brendan’s role in Offaly’s 1982 All-Ireland victory. The town was already proud of Shane before his Open triumph but his latest feat will have most locals walking on air this week, and for many to come.
Lowry played football and hurling, growing up in Clara, but he told SportsJOE that golf took over around the age of 15. He said:
“I had a very simple childhood, football and hurling and then soccer.
“They were my sports, I used to play them all the time and then I started playing pitch and putt in Clara and that’s where I first felt a club.”
Brendan and Bridget Lowry could tell their son had a knack for golf and they did all they could to support him on his journey. After lifting that Claret Jug, just off the 18th green on Sunday, the ‘Champion Golfer’ declared:
“To my mum and dad… they sacrificed so much for me when I was younger and I’m so happy I can hand them this trophy tonight.”
In the aftermath of his son’s Open win, Sarah Mulkerrins of BBC caught up with Brendan and got his take on how the whole day felt.
“I’m absolutely delighted; thrilled,” he said. “Some performance; brilliant.
“It was tough going [today] but Shane hung in there and did well… conditions were very tough but he kept grinding it out. It’s unbelievable.
“The crowds were astonishing. I’ve never seen anything like it. I’ve been to other Majors and it has never been anything like that, for the [whole] week. It’s unbelievable.”
'It's unbelievable!'
Brendan Lowry, father of @ShaneLowryGolf, speaks to @SarahMulkerrins moments after seeing his son win #TheOpen #bbcgolf pic.twitter.com/RBJIxruIsK
— BBC 5 Live Sport (@5liveSport) July 22, 2019
An All-Ireland winners’ medal and a Claret Jug in the family. Some going from father and son.
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