B-I-F-F-O. Brilliant-Incredible-Fellow-From-Offaly. Even Taoiseach Brian Cowen had a tear in his eye – or was it the rain drops? – as he finally had something to cheer amid all the economic doom and gloom in embracing Shane Lowry, a 22-year-old amateur from Clara , as Ireland’s newest sporting hero.
On a day when the weather again tried to play spoilsport, nobody could ruin Lowry’s party. Only playing in the tournament on an invite extended to the Golfing Union of Ireland, Lowry defeated England’s Robert Rock at the third hole of a sudden-death play-off after the pair had finished the Irish Open at Co Louth Golf Club locked together on 271, 17 under par.
It didn’t bother Lowry that, as an amateur, he was unable to accept the top prize of €500,000. That cheque went to Rock – “it’s a little consolation,” he conceded – but Lowry’s life has changed with this victory as it will give him a two-year exemption on the European Tour whenever he decides to turn professional.
“It’s going to take a long time for this to sink in. I just can’t believe it happened, I can’t believe it,” said Lowry, who comes from a famed Offaly sporting family. His father, Brendan, and uncles Seán and Mick won All-Ireland football medals in 1982. His father observed, “I’m not taking away from the All-Ireland medal . . . but this beats that.”
Mr Cowen said: ‘‘Shane’s dramatic play-off victory is a remarkable achievement and one that everyone in his home county of Offaly and Ireland will be very proud of.”