Lowry hits the big time at Bridgestone

Shane Lowry of Ireland fired a final round of 66 to secure the biggest win of his career at the WGC – Bridgestone Invitational at Firestone CC in Akron, Ohio.

Shane Lowry of Ireland fired a final round of 66 to secure the biggest win of his career at the WGC – Bridgestone Invitational at Firestone CC in Akron, Ohio.

The Irishman played an error-free round on Sunday to catch and pass overnight leaders Jim Furyk and Justin Rose. With the victory Lowry has moved into the top-20 on the Official World Golf Ranking and to fourth place on the 2015 Race to Dubai.

In an invitational event featuring the best players in world golf, this could be a life-changing victory for the young Irishman.

“I know it will stay with me now for the rest of my career, and hopefully I've got a long career ahead of me,” he said. “To shoot 11 under par on this golf course just shows a lot about my game, that it is good enough to compete at any level.”

Lowry began the final round two shots behind 54-hole leaders Justin Rose and Jim Furyk but he erased that deficit with two birdies in his first eight holes. When he birdied the 10th, he took a two shot lead over the pack as both Furyk and Rose had stumbled.

In the end it was Bubba Watson who pushed Lowry closest and the left-hander got within one with a birdie on the 17th. But the Irishman held firm and he finished with a birdie on the home hole to take the title by two shots with Watson alone in second. It was a pretty incredible closing birdie for Lowry as he fired his approach to the 18th through a tree and stopped his ball just 10 feet from the cup.

Shane Lowry swing sequence:

Lowry will go into next week’s USPGA Championship at Whistling Straits full of confidence that he can compete with, and beat, the top players in the world.

“It’s a good feeling,” he said.

Overnight leaders Furyk and Rose dropped back into a tie for third, both men closed with rounds of 72. It was a disappointing day for Rose and one where he struggled with the putter.

“I had a hard day on the greens,” he said. “An early three putt made me tentative with the putter. I did enough from tee to green but the putter was under pressure.”

Jordan Spieth finished strongly at Firestone and closed with a 66, he moved up into a tie for 10th place with fellow American Rickie Fowler. It was a fifth straight top-10 finish for Spieth.

WGC – Bridgestone Invitational Firestone CC, Akron, Ohio Aug 6-9 Purse: $9,250,000, par 70

1    Shane Lowry (Ire)    70    66    67    66    269    $1,570,000 2    Bubba Watson (USA)    70    66    69    66    271    $930,000 T3    Jim Furyk (USA)        66    66    69    72    273    $470,000 T3    Justin Rose (Eng)        67    71    63    72    273    $470,000 5    Robert Streb (USA)    68    70    68    68    274    $330,000 T6    Brooks Koepka (USA)    69    69    68    69    275    $219,000 T6    Danny Lee (NZL)        65    72    70    68    275    $219,000 T6    David Lingmerth (Swe)    70    71    66    68    275    $219,000 T6    Henrik Stenson (Swe)    68    69    68    70    275    $219,000 T10    Rickie Fowlwer (USA)    67    72    70    67    276    $149,500 T10    Jordan Spieth (USA)    70    68    72    66    276    $149,500

Note: Player score in bold signifies Titleist ball usage