The 148th Open will go down in history as one of the great Opens after a week-long party in Portrush ended with a popular winner lifting the Claret Jug for his maiden major victory.
Shane Lowry was sublime on the Dunluce Links as a scintillating Saturday put him in control of the Championship and he kept his nerve to hold off Tommy Fleetwood on a memorable Sunday.
It was fitting that as The Open returned to Northern Ireland for the first time in 68 years, it was a man from the island of Ireland who walked away as Champion Golfer – the county Offaly native thrilling the partisan crowds en route to a six-stroke triumph.
