Shane Lowry: After six holes all I could think of was winning

Champion golfer Shane Lowry said he struggled to keep his nerves in check during the final round of his maiden major win at the Open championship in Portrush on Sunday.

Lowry claimed the first major win of his professional career after shooting a final round of 72 to clear second placed Tommy Fleetwood by six strokes. The Offaly native said he leaned on his caddie Bo Martin throughout the final round and added that he can't wait to wake up tomorrow to bask in his victory.

"I was so calm coming down the last! I couldn’t believe it. What a day!" he told Sky Sports following his win. "I told Bo that I couldn't stop thinking about winning it for the first six holes and he told me just 'stay with me'.  What a job he did. "It was difficult out there, the weather was so hard. I wasn’t going great during the middle of the round, but then I saw the leaderboard and everyone else was struggling, and then it became a two-horse race between me and Tommy. And that was good for me, I think, because I could focus on Tommy as far as I could. "I can’t wait to wake up tomorrow morning, and find out what it’s going to feel like then. It’s just going to be incredible!"

Lowry has repeatedly thanked his parents Brendan and Bridget over the years for helping facilitate his burgeoning golf career as a teen and he dedicated his victory to them in an emotional speech on the 18th following the tournament.

"I want to thank my coach Neil, my caddie Bo, my management, I definitely wouldn't be standing here without them," Lowry noted. "My family. What can I say? My mum and dad. You sacrificed so much for me when I was younger and I'm so happy I can hand them this trophy tonight. "My wife and my little girl Iris - to have them here today is just that extra bit special. I don't know what to say. "Last but not least... all the volunteers and the fans. Thank you so much. This one is for you."