Shane Lowry

Marked The Open’s return to Irish soil for the first time since 1951 with the performance of his life at Royal Portrush in 2019.

Lowry marched into a four-stroke lead with a spectacular third round 63, only one outside the Championship and major record, and turned that into a six-shot victory amid memorable scenes.

He played himself into contention for a second Claret Jug at The 152nd Open when he led going into the weekend at Royal Troon, only for a Saturday 77 to scupper his chances. He ended in sixth, five shots back from Xander Schauffele.

Lowry was a winner of the Irish Open as a 22-year-old amateur in 2009 – only two other amateurs had won a DP World Tour event before him – he led the 2016 US Open by four after 54 holes, but was overtaken by Dustin Johnson.

Prior to that captured the 2015 World Golf Championships-Bridgestone Invitational in Ohio, where his last-hole recovery from behind trees there was later named the DP World Tour's Shot of the Year.

His Irish Open success at County Louth included a 10-under-par 62 which equalled the lowest score by an amateur in Tour history. Tied for fourth in the 2021 PGA Championship at Kiawah Island and has played in the last two Ryder Cups as a wild card, helping Europe to their victory in Rome in September.

Joint-third at the 2022 Masters but his highlight of the year came five months later with victory in the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth. In April, he partnered Rory McIlroy to victory in the Zurich Classic of New Orleans.