“PRO” File – Touring Professional Shane Lowry

He first made waves winning the Irish Open on the European Tour as an amateur, and he won a World Golf Championship event a few years ago, but Ireland’s Shane Lowry didn’t receive full recognition for his abilities until he won The Open this past July at Royal Portrush in Northern Ireland. The victory marked Lowry’s fifth worldwide win in his career.

He was an accomplished amateur, having won the Irish Amateur Close Championship, before winning the 2009 Irish Open. The win at the latter event spurred him to turn professional, which meant he was going to miss that year’s Walker Cup, the amateur team competition between the United States and Great Britain & Ireland. He forged a solid career, with a win at the 2015 Bridgestone Invitational at Firestone Country Club in Akron, Ohio, being his previous career highlight.

Lowry has never been mentioned as having the ability to be one of the game’s greats, and 10 years into his professional career, it appears he may never reach those heights. But for one week in July, he was on top of the golf world, something very few can say.