Shane Lowry delivered a commanding performance at the Amgen Irish Open, sealing a record‑breaking win by eleven strokes. The Irish favorite posted a spectacular seven‑under‑par 63 on Sunday, finishing the tournament at an astonishing 23 under par. This triumph marks Lowry's seventh professional title and his second Irish Open crown, the first coming in 2009 when he was a 22‑year‑old amateur. The trophy was presented by U.S.
President Donald Trump, who attended the ceremony for the second day in a row. Lowry's victory was a welcome comeback after a series of heartbreaking near‑misses earlier in the season.
He had been edged out at the Dubai Invitational by a double‑bogey on the final hole, losing by two strokes, and he saw a three‑stroke lead evaporate at the Cognizant Classic after two consecutive double‑bogeys in the closing holes. Those setbacks made his dominant finish at Trump International Golf Links in Doonbeg all the more satisfying. Entering the final round with a four‑shot lead, Lowry expanded his advantage with a flawless round that featured eight birdies and only a single bogey on the ninth hole.
He thrilled the crowd with two remarkable 45‑foot putts—one on the par‑three seventh and another on the par‑four 15th—and capped the day with a long‑range birdie on the 18th. His composure under pressure was evident as he maintained his lead while his closest rival, Jacob Skov Olesen, slipped with a three‑over 73.
During the prize‑giving ceremony, Trump addressed the assembled fans, chanting "USA" and announcing that he had spoken with Irish Taoiseach Micheál Martin about lifting tariffs on Irish whiskey. Both the Taoiseach and the Minister of State, Charlie McConalogue, stood on the 18th green alongside Trump as Lowry received his trophy.
An emotional Lowry reflected on his challenging season: "This year has been quite difficult on the course for me. I've had a few chances to win, and there have been some really tough times. To come here this week and do this, I don't do things by half measures!
I can't believe I'm standing here with that leaderboard. This has been the most spectacular week.
It has been unreal. When things are not going well at this level, it's hard at home as well, but my wife's been a huge support, and my kids.
I just love them so much and I'm so happy for them. I can't wait to bring a trophy home.
My daughter always asks me when I'm going to bring a trophy home, so yes, I'm going to bring one home." Lowry's dominant position heading into Sunday was largely built on a course‑record 62 in the second round, which gave him a sizable cushion. The field behind him featured notable performances: Patrick Reed posted a closing 64, while Rasmus Neergaard‑Petersen carded a 63, earning them second and third place respectively. Joaquin Niemann shared second place with Reed at 12 under, and Neergaard‑Petersen was just one stroke behind. England's Alex Fitzpatrick tied for seventh at nine under, while veteran Sergio Garcia finished six under, matching the scores of Robert MacIntyre and Matt Wallace among others.
Jon Rahm recorded a four‑under round, and defending champion Rory McIlroy managed a respectable 67 in his final round, finishing one under par for the tournament. McIlroy expressed optimism about the upcoming BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth, noting that his recent round gave him confidence despite the disappointment of not defending his title. "I've seen enough good stuff this week to give me encouragement going into next week," McIlroy said.
"It's a golf course that I know well and one I've had success on. Obviously this wasn't the week that I wanted but, at the same time, I don't feel too far away and I feel good going into Wentworth.
I thought I hit the ball pretty well for the most part. A couple of bad decisions off the tees yesterday but, overall, my iron play was a lot better, my wedge play was pretty good for the most part and obviously it was a struggle on the greens. That was the difficult thing and why I wasn't able to get myself into contention.
I need a little bit of time on the putting green the next couple days and to get familiar with the greens at Wentworth again." The DP World Tour now moves to Surrey for the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth, the tour's flagship event. Fans can follow live coverage of all four rounds, with featured groups broadcasting from 7:30 a.m.
on Thursday. Those without a Sky subscription can explore alternative streaming options or take advantage of the latest Sky Sports deals. Golf enthusiasts are also invited to book tee times at any of the 1,700 courses across the UK and Ireland, with an easy search by course name, city, or postal code.