Alan Lowry is the young brother of Shane Lowry and is following in his big brother’s footsteps. (Twitter/AlanLowry59)
Entering the 2016 U.S. Open, Shane Lowry may not have been a household name in American golf. However, he certainly is making a memorable impression.
The 29-year-old Irishman only has one PGA Tour victory, but finds himself on the verge of his first major win, with a four-shot lead heading into Sunday’s final round.
Lowry isn’t the only golfer in his family, his younger brother Alan is also a student of the game.
Here are five fast facts to know about Shane Lowry’s brother:
1. He is Following Shane’s Lead in Golf
Alan has followed his brother’s footsteps and currently competes on the Irish amateur circuit.
Alan won the 2015 Mullingar Scratch Cup, seven years after his big brother won the competition. Lowry posted a congratulatory message to his brother on social media:
“I couldn’t be more proud of my little bro, Alan Lowry, on grabbing his first big win today in mullingar. Great to have both our names on such a prestigious trophy.”
2. He is a Paddy Harrington Golf Scholar
Congratulations to @AlanLowry59 who received honorary membership tonight from @MolloyRay and Eamon Horan!
Alan has chosen to pursue a postgraduate degree in Accounting, he will continue his studies and golf development at Maynooth University.
The Paddy Harrington Golf Scholarship at Maynooth University is now viewed as one of Europe’s leading University golf programs, offering young golfers the opportunity to combine a high performance training and competition schedule with challenging curriculum.
3. They Both Approach Golf With a Tough Mindset
@GUIGolf Champions Dinner 2015 #seniorcup #walkercupper #interpros #homesinternationals what a year for #MU_Golf
Lowry is known for approaching the game of golf with a grind. Lowry feels he has the mental game to take on golf’s toughest courses.
“When it comes to tough golf courses, I tend to thrive on tough conditions and tough golf courses because I get myself into a frame of mind where if you make a bogey, it’s not the end of the world,” he recently explained to The42.
Alan displayed that same type of mindset during his 2015 Mullingar Scratch Cup win.
“To be honest, for the whole round today I kept grinding and holing putts for par, taking it shot by shot, not getting ahead of myself,” Alan told The Independent.
“I am so happy to come out on top. It means a lot.”
4. He Is Very Supportive of Shane’s Professional Golf Career
Shane Lowry’s family, including his brother, and friends gathered together in Ireland to watch him win the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational.
As Shane Lowry notched his first PGA Tour win, his family couldn’t contain their excitement at his home club of Esker Hills back in Ireland.
The video of Lowry’s family wildly cheering as they watched him win made the rounds on social media.
Alan frequently takes to Twitter to share encouraging and congratulatory messages to his big brother.
5. He Has Received Golfing Tips From Shane
Great to be back @TheHomeofGolf for the Annual @RandA Scholars T’nmt. Winner earns a spot @ArnoldPalmerCup #MU_Golf
Alan recounted a swing tip he got from Shane during the 2015 Mullingar Scratch Cup, which proved to be extremely helpful: swing it easy always works well when it’s breezy.
Alan told the Independent his brother has helped him to judge the conditions of the day, make a good game plan and execute it.
The 23-year-old Esker Hills golfer was able to do that when he claimed the biggest victory of his golf career last April.
As the Independent reported:
Seven years after his brother Shane won a birdie-fest in spectacular fashion, Alan Lowry produced a gutsy clutch-putting display to claim the Mullingar Electrical Scratch Trophy by two strokes.
