Ahead of the Open Championship returning to Royal Portrush in Northern Ireland, we look back on Shane Lowry's memorable win at the County Antrim course in 2019.
The Irishman, born in Clara, County Offaly, became just the second player from the Republic of Ireland to lift the coveted Claret Jug, adding to Padraig Harrington's successes in 2007 and 2008.
Royal Portrush hosts The Open for just the third time this year, the action running from Thursday 17th July to Sunday 20th July, with another star-studded field ready to do battle in Northern Ireland.
Before the 153rd edition of the Major begins, we look back at Lowry's triumph from six years ago.
Open champion in waiting
Lowry burst onto the golfing scene in 2009 when winning the 3 Irish Open as an amateur, beating Englishman Robert Rock at the third extra hole in a tense play-off.
That success at County Louth Golf Club in Baltray was the springboard for the Irishman to turn professional, as he made the step up to the pro ranks just a week later.
What that victory also did was throw Lowry's name up as a future Open champion, given his affinity for links golf, and it felt like it would be only a matter of time before he was lifting the Claret Jug.
Major glory evades Irish ace
While Lowry would go on to win three more professional titles after that Irish Open breakthrough, a maiden Major would prove elusive and questions began to be asked as to whether he would ever land one of the 'big four'.
A particularly galling moment came for the 38-year-old at the 2016 US Open, where he blew a four-shot lead heading into the final round at Oakmont Country Club to finish in a tie for second place.
It was a moment that appeared to have a significant effect on Lowry, who would proceed to miss the cut in seven of his next 10 Major appearances, with his best finish during that period a tied-12th effort at the 2018 PGA Championship.
Everything clicked in 2019
As Lowry started off 2019, he had failed to win since the 2015 WGC-Bridgestone Invitational and had slipped to 75th in the world rankings, but this year was to be a cherished one for him.
He started off with a bang, winning the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship after holding off Richard Sterne by one stroke, only to then miss the cut at the Masters in April.
Undeterred by another Major mishap, Lowry put together a string of positive results, going T3 at the RBC Heritage, T8 at the PGA Championship, T2 at the Canadian Open and T28 at the US Open.
While a tie for 34th at the Irish Open was a slight disappointment, that also eased the expectation levels on him ahead of the Open Championship, with the eyes on the leading players in the world.
Record-setting Lowry makes his move
Lowry made a solid start to his quest for Open glory in 2019, shooting a four-under-par 67 on day one to sit one off the lead and then backing that up with the same score to sit tied at the top after round two.
But it was his performance on day three that set him apart from the rest of the field, as the Irishman shot a brilliant eight-under-par 63 to set a new course record since it was remodeled in 2016.
Lowry's total of 197 also set a new 54-hole scoring record at The Open, beating the 198 set by Tom Lehman in 1996 at Royal Lytham & St. Annes, while he became the 12th player since 2000 to be leading in a Major by four or more strokes.
Lowry banishes US Open demons
Only three of the 12 players that had been leading a Major by four or more strokes since 2000 had failed to go on and win, with one of them being Lowry at the 2016 US Open.
If Lowry had hoped for benign conditions over the final round, then the weather clearly wasn't listening as treacherous conditions forced the tee-times to be moved forward.
The rain and wind hit hard over the final 18 holes and several players were unable to cope, including J.B. Holmes, who started the day in solo third on -10 but proceeded to shoot a 16-over 87 to finish tied for 67th.
It was a round of attrition and one that truly tested the mettle of a golfer, which Lowry managed to pass with flying colours as he carded a one-over 72 to triumph by six shots.
Lowry's display was one similar to that seen at the 3 Irish Open in 2009, when he won as an amateur in tough conditions, and ensured his Major wait was finally at an end.
More Portrush glory on the cards?
Lowry will be hoping for another strong challenge for glory when he returns to the scene of his Major victory and there have been signs this season that a second Claret Jug could be heading his way.
He has had a couple of runners-up efforts, at Pebble Beach and the Truist Championship, but an improvement on his Major displays will be required.
Lowry was T42 at the Masters and then missed the cut at both the PGA Championship and US Open, so he knows a step up is needed if he wants to be in with a shot of lifting the trophy for a second time.
