Open champ Lowry's strong Cavan links

Paul Fitzpatrick

Golfing star Shane Lowry has been the toast of the nation since his magnificent success in the Open Championship at Portrush last Sunday and the popular Clara man, naturally, has been celebrating in style.

Yesterday, Lowry and some of his many supporters and family members paid a visit to the Boar’s Head on Capel St in Dublin, where the proprietors, Arva native Hugh Hourican and his wife Anne, welcomed him with open arms.

The Cavan links don’t end there, however. A key member of Lowry’s management team is Ballinagh footballer Padraic O’Reilly, the former Cavan senior team captain.

Padraic was with Lowry at the Open on Sunday and, he told The Anglo-Celt, he wasn’t surprised at the outpouring of joy across the country since his friend’s success.

“Someone texted me and hit the nail on the head, they said ‘It’s great to see someone win one of the biggest events in world sport and celebrate it like a county final’. I thought that was very appropriate.

“We were there on Sunday and he went round every member of staff in the private tent and they all got photos with him. It’s the same staff every year, they travel round and they know him at this stage and every one of them were delighted for him that he won.

“With Shane, it’s not put on, he’s always like that and always has time for everybody whether he wins or not. He knows my wife, my brother, he’d ask about our club and how we are getting on. He really is down to earth considering what he is actually doing on the other side of things.”

Lowry is managed by Horizon Sports, which is how the link with O’Reilly came about.

“Horizon Sports is Shane’s management company and I work as their accountant and privately as Shane’s accountant, or chief financial officer or whatever you want to say. I manage Shane’s money basically,” explained ‘Podge’, who is in constant contact with the Offaly man.

And he’ll now have even more money to manage - given the near $2M prize purse bagged by Lowry following his six-shot win over Englishman Tommy Fleetwood on Sunday, playing some brilliant golf in the first three rounds.

As for the future, O’Reilly believes that Lowry can now establish himself as a multiple Major winner.

“Shane has now won a Major, a World Golf Championship, a Rolex event and his home Open, which is one of the most impressive CVs you’ll ever get in golf. He has now completed his wish list so there’s no pressure on him. He will be on the next Ryder Cup team, he will be a mainstay in Europe for the next few years and I can’t see him not picking up another Major...

See tomorrow's print edition for full story.