Shane Lowry is crowned Open champion!

Offaly's Shane Lowry is the Open champion.

He beat both his challengers and the weather at Royal Portrush to

record a famous victory.

It's his first major and he won in dominant fashion.

Four ahead at the start of play, he finished the tournament six clear of

his nearest challenger Tommy Fleetwood.

As some of the biggest names in world golf struggled with the wind and rain

on the Antrim coast, the big Offaly man tamed the conditions with a

wonderfully controlled display.

The scenes that greeted his win were unparalleled on a golf course and more reminiscent of

an All Ireland final win.

The win is further endorsement of the strength of Irish golf – it's the tenth major

win in the past twelve years, a record that only the US can match.

Lowry became a favourite for the entire island from the first round and held his nerve throughout.

His win in the most prestigious of majors represents one of the great days in Irish sport.