Leaders
- Shane Lowry – 1st, 21-under
- Patrick Reed – 2nd, 12-under
- Rasmus Neergaard-Petersen, Joaquin Niemann – Tied-3rd, 11-under
Irish in action
- Shane Lowry – five-under for Sunday (thru 14), 21-under overall
- Tom McKibbin – three-under for Sunday (thru 16), 10-under overall
- Liam Nolan – one-under for Sunday (finished), three-under overall
- Rory McIlroy – three-under for Sunday (finished), one-under overall
Here’s Lowry’s putt on the 14th:
Tom McKibbin’s tipping away nicely, back in a share of seventh. He birdied the 15th, his fourth of the day, for an overall 10-under.
Also on 15, Lowry’s first shot went to the rough, but even that played in his favour. He finds the green of the par-four with his second shot.
You’d feel for Olesen. He can’t buy a birdie here, settling once again for par on 14. His day has been made all the more frustrating by the form Lowry’s showing alongside him.
And there’s another birdie for Lowry! He goes to 21-under, five-under for Sunday.
The leader is utterly locked-in coming down the back nine.
Lowry sends a beauty towards the Atlantic from the 14th tee, giving himself another chance of a birdie, but he hardly cracks a smile. This is one lead he doesn’t want to see slip away.
Olesen and Lowry both make par on the 13th. Lowry’s happy with that one, great save after finding the bunker.
Olesen gives the flagstick a rattle with his third shot on 13. He’s looking a frustrated figure.
Lowry is taking all the luck of their pairing. He gets out of the bunker without a bother, leaving himself a handy putt for par.
McKibbin’s putt on 14th goes low of the hole. He stays on eight-under overall in a share of ninth.
Olesen and Lowry are on the 13th fairway. The Dane pulls his pitch well left of the green, and Lowry follows by finding the bunker. It’s a tricky par-four, but they can both still recover.
Tom McKibbin manages a solid drive from the 14th tee to land just over eight feet off the pin.
On the 15th, Patrick Reed’s birdie putt goes inches shy. He’s on six-under for the day, eight shots adrift of Lowry overall.
The birdie putt alludes Lowry again, and he’s looking a bit miffed by it, but he remains eight shots ahead of Patrick Reed in second.
And Olesen continues his birdie-less run. He overshoots the pin and has to settle for par.
Lowry finds himself in the middle of the 12th fairway. No hassle for him to find the green, giving himself another good shot at a birdie.
His playing partner Olesen, now in tied-fourth, also has a chance to pick up a shot which would give him a share of second.
Lowry fails to make the birdie putt on the 11th, tapping in for par. It’s a frustrating, but not fatal, one for the leader.
The last singles match has wrapped up at the Solheim Cup so Europe can now truly get their celebrations started. Rose Zhang took the last point on offer, beating Celine Boutier, but it went Europe’s way overall, 15-13.
My god, Lowry is on fire. From the 11th tee box he puts it right on the green. He’s four feet off the pin on the par-three.
In second, Patrick Reed was unlucky not to make the birdie on the 13th, his putt pulling slightly left to leave him on six-under for Sunday, 12-under overall.
And there’s the birdie, Lowry’s fifth of the day.
He’s back to eight shots clear on 20-under after 64 holes.
The AWS stats put Lowry’s probability of winning at 83.9 per cent.
With that, his eagle putt attempt leaves him three feet off the hole. Another birdie is looking on.
Lowry’s put himself into a nice spot to go for another birdie on the 10th. He managed it yesterday.
His second shot off the fairway lands 11 yards from the pin.
Over in the Netherlands, Leona Maguire took a 2&1 defeat against Lauren Coughlin. Not to matter, Europe had already claimed the Solheim Cup at that stage, and the Cavan woman played her part across the weekend.
Just one match remains in play, USA’s Rose Zhang currently 1UP against Celine Boutier thru 16. It’s 15-12 to Europe.
And here’s Lowry’s putt for a birdie on the eighth:
Lowry drops his first shot of the day, his putt for par just short on the ninth.
Gavin Cooney has an update for us from Doonbeg:
Shane Lowry is dealing with several different pressures today: his own recent struggles to convert from winning positions; the bedlam of the crowds breaking rope lines to follow his every shot, and the absurdity of the Trump factor, with Eric Trump and a group of secret service agents walking the fairways behind him. That he has increased his lead to seven shots across his first nine holes is extraordinary.
Here’s Lowry’s birdie putt on the seventh:
That’s 20-under for Lowry! He sinks his birdie putt on the eighth to extend his lead.
Patrick Reed is up to a solo second, now on 12-under after three straight birdies from the eighth to 10th.
Liam Nolan has just finished up his final round. The Galwayman signs for a one-under 69 for three-under across the four days.
Huge battle going on behind Lowry. Italy’s Gregorio de Leo is up in a share of fourth now, seven birdies adding him to the mix.
On the eighth, Lowry’s second shot landed on a sprinkler head, so he’ll get to drop his ball within a club-length of it’s original landing point. He’s just over 50 yards to the pin and pitches it beautifully to within four feet of the hole.
Europe have won the Solheim Cup! Lottie Woad’s win over Auston Kim brings them past the magic 13½ number.
Leona Maguire is still in play, Lauren Coughlin 2UP thru 16 in their singles match.
With four pairs still on the course, it’s 14-10 to Team Europe.
WHAT A PUTT FROM LOWRY! Another birdie up and down the slope from the edge of the seventh green.
It takes him to 19-under overall, three-under for Sunday, eight shots clear of Reed and Olesen.
Doonbeg, you’re looking well. Huge support out for Lowry.
Reed is charging. He’s up to tied-2nd alongside Olesen after a birdie on the par-two ninth.
Lowry pars the sixth. Off the seventh tee, his drive takes a bounce off the edge of the bunker but luck is on his side and it pops up to the edge of the green.
Patrick Reed has joined the third-place party, he’s made his way to 10-under with a birdie on the eighth.
After a disappointing few days, Rory McIlroy didn’t hang around to see how his pal gets on.
He had a quick chat with RTÉ after his final round earlier:
Lowry goes over the top of the green on the sixth, but takes a kindly roll back down the slope to come to a stop just off the green, eight yards to the pin.
Meanwhile, Tom McKibbin has slipped back to a share of 13th, level-par for the day thru seven holes having made up his bogey on the first with a birdie on the fifth.
Joaquin Niemann has been joined in third by Rasmus Neergaard-Petersen after the Dane managed to eagle the par-five 10th, adding to his four birdies from the front nine.
Birdie for Lowry on the fifth! He now has a seven-shot lead.
The Offalyman is having another stellar day with the putter.
Back in Doonbeg, it’s another terrific shot for Shane Lowry. He gets to within 10 feet of the pin, giving himself another chance at a birdie.
Olesen is not so fortunate. At almost triple the distance on the green, he’ll likely have to settle for par.
Leona Maguire remains three holes down against Lauren Coughlin in the Solheim Cup singles matches. They’re now thru 13.
Europe have gone ahead overall, leading USA 12-10 with six games still in play.
Lowry scrapes the edge but no joy for the birdie. He makes par, remaining on 17-under.
He’s loving these Doonbeg dunes. Off the fifth tee, his shot takes a bounce off the hill and kicks back in to the fairway.
While Lowry powers on, Olesen is struggling. The Dane overshoots to the green on the fourth, leaving him with 21 feet to the pin.
Lowry chips tidily to leave him with a seven-foot putt for the birdie.
Tom McKibbin finds a beautiful shot from the fairway on the fifth, so close to taking an eagle. But he’ll have a handy putt for the birdie to bring him back to level par.
Lowry’s first attempt on the third green is short, but he sinks the second attempt for par.
He’s stays six shots ahead of his playing partner Olesen.
We’re also keeping an eye on the Solheim Cup, where Leona Maguire is in action in the singles matches.
USA’s Lauren Coughlin is currently 4UP against the Cavan woman thru 12 in the Netherlands.
The teams are tied on 10 points apiece with eight matches still in play.
Here’s Lowry’s putt on the first:
On the third, Tom McKibbin has missed a putt for birdie, so he stays on one-under. Having started the day in a share of third, he’s now back in tied-ninth.
On the second, Lowry’s tempted to putt from quite a way out but it pulls just right of the hole. Easy tap-in for par.
Olesen doesn’t manage his putt from about 13 feet out, also tapping it in for par.
Lowry birdies the first! Huge putt from 16 feet to go 17-under. That’s the start he would have dreamed of.
Olesen makes his putt for par, sticking on 12-under.
Lowry finds the green comfortably with his second shot. Good start from the leader.
Plenty of Offaly jerseys dotted around the course, Lowry’s Army out in full force.
Gavin Cooney has this for us from Doonbeg, Donald Trump making his way to the first tee box to greet Lowry.
Taoiseach Micheál Martin also in attendance.
Lowry is welcomed to the first tee by Trump and a rousing cheer from the Doonbeg crowd.
Olsesen is up first to get their round started.
Lowry stands over his opening drive and sends it low, finding the fairway. Big smile to start from the Offalyman.
Shane Lowry is getting ready to start his round. US president Donald Trump is making his way down to the first tee box.
Galwayman Liam Nolan has picked up a shot on the eighth to move up to a share of 37th, now level par thru nine holes.
Tom McKibbin is just about to get his final round under way. He’s among Lowry’s challengers, currently tied-fourth on seven-under across the three rounds.
Rory McIlroy has already finished his round, having set out at 9.20am. Last year’s champion finished with a three-under round of 67 for one-under after the four rounds. He’s joined on one-under by Liam Nolan, who’s currently one-over thru seven holes.
Lowry extended his overnight lead from Friday in Saturday’s third round with a five-under 65, following up on his 62 from the second round.
“In a strange day, when the whirring blades of Marine One and its escort of Chinook helicopters brought a notable visitor to the Irish Open, the show simply went on for Shane Lowry,” Philip Reid writes in his day three report from Doonbeg.
“Demonstrating his own brand of steel, he retained his lead heading into the final round of the €5-million DP World Tour tournament, four-shots clear of his nearest challenger.”
Read Philip’s report in full below:
[ Shane Lowry shows his steel to extend Irish Open leadOpens in new window ]
Hello everyone, and welcome along to The Irish Times live blog for the final round of the 2026 Irish Open at Trump International Golf Links.
Shane Lowry leads by four shots heading into his final round, sitting on 16-under. Denmark’s Jacob Skov Olesen on 12-under is the main threat to a home win, with Chile’s Joaquin Niemann a further three shots back on nine-under.
We’ll be following all the action throughout the afternoon, with Philip Reid and Gavin Cooney keeping us updated on all the goings on from Doonbeg.
Lowry, who has Olesen for company today, is due to tee off at 2.05pm.
