LOWRY LIVES THE IRISH DREAM

LUCK OF THE IRISH: Shane Lowry celebrates with the trophy after victory

Monday May 18,2009

IRELAND produced yet another golfing hero last night as the previously unknown amateur Shane Lowry emerged from a tension-packed play-off to win the Irish Open.

Lowry, 22, triumphed on the links course at County Louth, which had proved too difficult in foul weather even for a famed compatriot. Triple major winner Padraig Harrington missed the cut.

But Lowry faces a dilemma which he must resolve within the next 24 hours.

Either he retains amateur status and achieves his burning ambition to play in the Walker Cup against the Americans in Pennsylvania in September or he can sign pro terms today and fly to England to take his place in the PGA Championship, which starts at Wentworth on Thursday.

Last night Lowry, the son of an all-Ireland football champion, who only started playing pitch and putt golf at the age of 15 was too shell- shocked to make his decision.

“I owe an awful lot to the people in amateur golf who have helped me over the years,” he said. “But this victory has just been a dream.

“When I got the invitation to play in my first European Tour event I said I would just be happy to make the cut. I can’t believe I have won.” At the end of his fourth round Lowry missed a three-foot putt that could have given him the title outright without the need for extra holes.

Instead, he had to play the par- five 18th three times against England’s Robert Rock before carving out a small piece of golfing history with a six-inch winning putt.

For Rock, 32, from Rugeley in Staffordshire, who has yet to win after seven seasons on the Tour and who finished joint-second in the Italian Open a week ago, there was a consolation.

With Lowry ineligible to accept the £450,000 prize as an amateur, it goes into his bank account – five times higher than any previous cheque Rock has earned.