DOONBEG — Shane Lowry produced a front-running masterclass to win the Irish Open by a record 11 shots at Trump International Golf Links in Doonbeg, County Clare, carding a seven-under 63 to finish at 23-under 257 and secure his first individual title since September 2022. The 39-year-old Irishman finished 11 clear of American Patrick Reed and Chile's Joaquin Niemann, who shared second at 12 under, with the trophy presented by visiting US President Donald Trump.
Lowry, who entered the final round four strokes clear of Jacob Skov Olesen, mixed eight birdies and one bogey and closed with a 29-foot birdie putt on the final green as thousands of fans roared him home. "This year has been quite difficult on the course for me," said the 2019 Open champion. "I had a few chances to win. To come here this week and do this, I don't know, I just don't do things like half-measures."
His 67-62-65-63 for 257 set a tournament record and eclipsed Bernhard Langer's 10-stroke win at the 1987 Irish Open at Portmarnock, giving Lowry his national open for the second time 17 years after his first. After posting a course-record 62 on Friday to seize control, he birdied four of his first eight holes Sunday to reach 20 under, highlighted by a holed 43-footer for birdie on the seventh, bogeyed the ninth before bouncing back on the 10th, birdied the 14th and sank another monster putt on the 15th, nearly chipped in on 16 and parred 17 before the final birdie. "A lot of things have went right for me but this has been the most spectacular week," Lowry added. "It's just mad. I can't believe it. My mum was just standing there. I have my wife and my kids back in Florida."
Denmark's Rasmus Neergaard-Petersen matched Lowry's closing 63 to finish fourth at 11 under, while Northern Ireland's Tom McKibbin shot 67 to finish at 10 under alongside Italy's Gregorio De Leo for a top-five finish. England's Alex Fitzpatrick closed with 65 and Scotland's Ewen Ferguson with 64 to secure top-10 finishes at nine and eight under respectively, while 2025 winner Rory McIlroy closed with 67 to tie for 41st at one under, 22 shots adrift after a 74 on Saturday. Selected others included Paul Waring at seven under, Sergio Garcia, Matt Wallace and Robert MacIntyre at six under, Jon Rahm at four under and Brooks Koepka at two over.
The victory followed near misses for Lowry at the Dubai Invitational and Cognizant Classic in Florida earlier this year and an eight-over 80 in the final round of the Masters after trailing eventual winner McIlroy by two entering the final day. Reed's tie for second will widen his lead over McIlroy at the top of the season-long Race to Dubai rankings. McIlroy said he took encouragement into the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth beginning Thursday: "I think overall, I've seen enough good stuff this week to give me encouragement going into next week, a golf course that I know well and a golf course that I've had success on," he said. "[It] obviously wasn't the week that I wanted but at the same time, I don't feel too far away, and I feel good about going into Wentworth next week."