The celebrations were so wild after he tapped in the little putt on Baltray’s 18th green to win the 3 Irish Open last year that Shane Lowry momentarily believed he was in the middle of a hurling crowd rather than the more gentile people who normally frequent golf tournaments. And though this amiable man from Clara was at the epicentre of a hurricane of emotions, his recollections of that magical afternoon are hazy.
"I don’t really remember the last day to be honest," he admits a little more than 12 months on. "The thing that stands out is holing the last putt and then being mobbed by this herd of people – it was more like a hurling match than a golf tournament. You never think something like that would happen at a golf tournament, but then most of the people who came up to Baltray from Offaly would never have been to a golf event in their lives.
"The pictures are amazing, and to be able to look back at the footage is something I’ll always be able to do."
As Lowry was an amateur at the time, he didn’t receive a cent for his exploits, but the achievement had a number of other benefits, not least a European Tour place for the following 30 months. And he has taken full advantage of the perk. He struggled initially to find his feet until gradually he began to make cuts on a regular basis and the cheques rolled in. In the aftermath of the Open Championship, he had banked €367,590 for this season and stood 82nd in the world rankings.
Moreover, he is rapidly becoming a crowd favourite wherever he tees it up. The fans love his happy disposition, and it’s not just his friends from Clara who warmed ever more to him at St Andrews. The natives loved his expressions – like when asked about the people he threw his golf ball to after holing out in the first round, he just shrugged and replied: "Some heads from back home." He was to birdie the 18th hole in each round of the championship. And, yet, almost certainly none of this would have happened without his amazing achievements at Baltray in May 2009.
"Winning the Irish Open totally changed my life," he agreed.
"I went to Baltray at the start of the week with no great expectations. I was thinking about turning pro at the end of the season and going to Q-School to try and get a card. I was kind of hoping to get on the Challenge Tour and start making my way in the game that way, or maybe trying to go out to the Asian Tour.
"But then I won the Irish Open and it all just kicked off.
"I instantly had a two-year exemption on the European Tour and I found it really tough at the start. It was a big lifestyle change for me – there I was, a pretty unknown amateur, and all of a sudden you are thrown into this pretty small bubble where you are unknown among these top professional sportsmen.
"I had to grow up pretty quickly, and when you are not used to all the attention it can be pretty daunting. Now, though, I think I have coped pretty well and am getting used to it more and more.
"The first six to eight months were the toughest, but after a year or so I was pretty comfortable."
There are defining moments in every sportsman’s career and sometimes it takes a lot of courage to make difficult decisions.
Lowry’s came when he opted to change his caddie, and the man who had helped him to his Baltray glory, Davie "Shaper" Reynolds.
Trouble was that he was more a friend than a serious caddie and Lowry reckoned he needed a pro on the bag if he was to make the desired progress. So he broke the sad news to Reynolds that he had signed Dermot Byrne of the noted caddying family. Though a painful saga it appears to have been a turning point in the golfer’s career.
"I think getting Dermot on the bag was a huge factor in my growing up," said Lowry. "He is a very experienced caddie who has been out on Tour for 16 years. When I teamed up with him, he told me a few home truths that I took on board. He told me I had to work harder in order to make it on Tour – he had seen a lot of talented players not take full advantage of their ability and he was quite forthright with me. I think that work is beginning to pay off.
"I am starting to believe that I belong out here, but there were points near the start when I felt I was way out of my comfort zone. I got into WGC-Bridgestone Invitational on the strength of my Irish Open win and I remember walking onto the range and seeing the absolute cream of the world’s best hitting balls.
"I started going through my routine and getting warmed up and the next minute I look up and Phil Mickelson was standing next to me hitting balls. That was definitely a point when I just thought ‘what the hell is going on here?’
"I was pretty starstruck by all of that but then that’s a good way to gauge how far I have come because the next time I was at a huge event like that was the WGC-HSBC Champions in Shanghai. That’s when I noticed that I had changed as a golfer – by the time that event came round, I was looking at Mickelson and saying ‘I’m going to beat that guy’."
The manner of his victory at Baltray and the excitement that ensued endeared him to the public. And, despite all the happenings of the past year, Lowry has maintained that huge level of support.
"There is definitely something about the Irish personality that we have a great sense of pride about where we come from, I don’t know if it’s unique that the Irish public get behind their own, especially in sport, and it is pretty special.
"I think that sense of pride runs through the people who are competing as well and that is what leads to us succeeding so much. Ireland is overachieving in golf – we are such a small country but we have so many guys at the top level.
"Pádraig [Harrington] and Graeme [McDowell] have won four of the last 10 majors. That is just unbelievable. It all has a snowball effect on the rest of us, especially Graeme in my case. I look and see Graeme’s hard work and determination and believe I can get close to him. We have the same management company and are friends and spend a fair amount of time together and what he has achieved is inspirational."
This week Lowry has the honour and privilege of defending his 3 Irish Open title at Killarney on the back of a highly impressive Open Championship where he finished tied 37th. In the third round, he was partnered by three-time major champion Vijay Singh and outscored the Fijian 71 to 76.
He knows the week ahead is going to be hectic with many demands on his time. But he doesn’t mind – he relishes it.
"It’s going to be a great event with the location and the Bank Holiday weekend. We should have great crowds and I know a lot of guys are coming down from Offaly to support me and that’ll be special.
"They certainly made themselves heard at St Andrews so hopefully I can give them something to shout about this time as well.
"Being Irish Open champion has changed my life and the fact that I have had 14 months to enjoy it has been a nice bonus. I have been able to milk it for as long as possible but I want to do it again. I am playing well at the moment and if things go my way again, you never know.
"It would be unbelievable to defend it and get another 10,000 people on to the 18th green on Sunday night to join the celebrations."
See the Irish Examiner's extensive 3 Irish Open coverage at:http://examiner.ie/sport/golf/
