Shane Lowry becomes only third player to win The Open by six strokes in past 40 years

Shane Lowry.
(Image credit: Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)

In the first Open Championship in Northern Ireland since 1951, it was a man from the Republic of Ireland who took the crown.

Ireland's Shane Lowry won his first major on the PGA Tour on Sunday when he captured The Open Championship at Royal Portrush Golf Club. The 32-year-old cruised to victory, finishing 15-under par with a total of 269 and winning by six strokes.

It was only the third time in the past 40 years someone has won The Open by six shots or more. Tiger Woods accomplished the feat in 2000 and Louis Oosthuizen did it in 2010, ESPN reports.

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Lowry didn't have much competition breathing down his neck, but Englishman Tommy Fleetwood had a strong overall performance to finish in second place at 9-under.

While there wasn't much drama on the green, emotions were still running for Lowry afterwards, as he thanked his parents while hoisting the claret jug. Tim O'Donnell

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Tim O'Donnell

Tim is a staff writer at The Week and has contributed to Bedford and Bowery and The New York Transatlantic. He is a graduate of Occidental College and NYU's journalism school. Tim enjoys writing about baseball, Europe, and extinct megafauna. He lives in New York City.