First major for Shane Lowry at The Open at Royal Portrush

Roared on by a sell-out crowd undeterred by the miserable conditions, Lowry carded a closing 72 to become the fifth Irish player to lift the Claret Jug after Fred Daly, Padraig Harrington, Darren Clarke and Rory McIlroy.

The 32-year-old from Offaly finished 15 under par, six shots ahead of England’s Tommy Fleetwood, with American Tony Finau two strokes further back in third.

World No.1 Brooks Koepka – attempting to become the first player in the modern era to finish in the top two in all four majors in a calendar year – had to settle for a share of fourth with Lee Westwood.

Three years after failing to convert a four-shot lead in the final round of the US Open at Oakmont, Lowry took the same advantage into the last day and held off Southport ace Fleetwood’s challenge.