Shane Lowry can kick on after win at The Open, says Paul McGinley

Golf Columnist

Monday 22 July 2019 06:21, UK

Paul McGinley hails Shane Lowry breakthrough major win at The Open and looks what victory at Royal Portrush means for his career.

First and foremost, Lowry is a deserving winner. He was pretty in control and never looked like he wasn't going to win, at least for me anyway! Nobody played better and embraced all of the pressure and expectations, as he just went off into the distance while taking it all as a sense of adventure.

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I just had a feeling about him pre-tournament because he works the ball both ways, has a wonderful short game and was mentally in a good spot. He had quite decently at the Irish Open and then had a week off, so his form was there and I think he was well prepared.

He really won it with that score on Saturday, which moved him so far away from so many guys and then when the weather came in on Sunday nobody could get close to him.

The weather really worked in his favour, because it ruled out somebody posting a score early and putting some pressure on Lowry. The battle really was between him and Tommy Fleetwood.

Fleetwood got into a match play situation with Lowry and watched too closely on what he was doing rather, than staying focused on his own game. He was reacting to what Lowry was doing rather than going out with his own plan, which was a mistake. That's the lesson to learn for Fleetwood, as he has the tools and has the heart to win majors.

Out of the last 10 groups that went out on Sunday, he was the second-best score, which is pretty impressive when you're sitting on a leading and trying to win your major championship.

Hopefully Lowry is going to kick on now because the quality of golfer that he is, the size of heart he has, there is a lot more for him to achieve in this game and he can't plateau now that he is an Open champion.

This win is a huge landmark in his life and his career and a whole new world is going to open up for him. Lowry is the winner but Royal Portrush is also the winner and hopefully this will have a permanent place now on The Open roster.