Shane Lowry is within sight of another Irish Open title at Trump International Golf Links in Doonbeg, 17 years after his famous victory at Baltray as an amateur. The 39-year-old enters Sunday’s final round with a four-shot lead and a chance to claim the home title for a second time.
Lowry has put himself in that position after following his course-record 62 on Friday with a five-under 65 on Saturday. He sits at 16-under par and will play alongside Denmark’s Jacob Skov Olesen in the final pairing.
The prospect of another Irish Open victory comes after a difficult period for Lowry, who has gone four years without a solo win. With the final round approaching, the significance of the week extends beyond his position on the leaderboard.
With Lowry now within touching distance of another home victory, his family’s role becomes particularly significant.
Shane Lowry’s Family Supports His Irish Open Bid
Shane Lowry’s wife Wendy and daughters Iris and Ivy have remained important supporters throughout his career as he prepares to chase his second Irish Open title.
Lowry and Wendy have been together since 2012 and were married in New York City in 2016. The couple chose a low-key wedding rather than a large celebration, with Lowry previously explaining that Wendy does not enjoy being in the spotlight.
“Anyone who knows Wendy knows that she doesn’t like the limelight or anything like that,” Lowry said, adding that the wedding was “really all very chilled.”
The couple have since welcomed daughters Iris and Ivy, who have been alongside their father through several important moments in his career.
Iris has even taken on a role inside the ropes, acting as Lowry’s caddie during last year’s Masters Par 3 Contest.
Lowry has previously spoken about how meaningful it was to have Wendy and Iris present when he won the HSBC Championship in Abu Dhabi in 2019.
“I’ll be honest, as soon as we had Iris, that’s what I’d dreamed about,” Lowry said.
“To have both Wendy and Iris in Abu Dhabi as I won was just dream stuff.”
Ivy was not yet born when Lowry captured that title, but she has since witnessed some of his other victories, including his BMW PGA Championship success at Wentworth in 2022 and the Zurich Classic of New Orleans alongside Rory McIlroy.
Shane Lowry Eyes Second Irish Open Title
Lowry’s family support comes as he prepares for one of the biggest final rounds of his career.
He leads the Irish Open at 16-under par after producing a remarkable sequence of rounds.
His Friday 62 was the lowest score recorded at Doonbeg, while Saturday’s 65 extended his advantage to four shots.
Jacob Skov Olesen is second on 12-under, with Joaquin Niemann third at nine-under. Tom McKibbin and Daniel Rodrigues are tied fourth on seven under.
A victory would give Lowry his second Irish Open title, following his breakthrough triumph as an amateur in 2009. It would also end his four-year wait for a solo victory.
Lowry has acknowledged the importance of the opportunity ahead.
“It’s a big day for me tomorrow,” he said. “I’m going out leading my home tournament and it would mean the world to me to knock this one off.”
He now has one more round to complete the journey.
Shane Lowry Shares Personal News as Irish Open Victory Comes Into View