Shane Lowry’s 2019 open victory in front of Royal Protush’s ecstatic Irish fans remains one of the great fairy tales of the tournament.
The Open was the first time since its debut in 1951, and people born on Offaly County’s borders proved unstoppable.
Lowry raised the fuchsia jug with a win score of under 15 from England’s biggest Max Faulkner’s 72-hole total in 1951.
The 148th Open recorded several low scores that week, but who had the lowest performance on 71 strokes?
65 – Rory McIlroy (Round 2)
Portrush is McIlroy’s home course, and he is the crowd who loves the memorable scenes that Lowry eventually triggers.
Rory’s game started a nightmare when he scored four times the bogey 8 on the opening hole before falling to 89.
This left him an absolute mountain, but he almost zoomed it, launching 65 under 65 in the second round. Unfortunately, it was too much shot to advance, leaving McIlroy wondering what it might be.
65 – Xander Schauffele (Round 2)
We all know that Schauffele is an excellent performer after winning the 2024 Open at Royal Troon.
The American also finished second in Carnoustie in 2018, giving another example at the age of 65 the next day.
That Friday’s score put him at 18th halfway through, holding that position with a third round of 69 before sliding to 41st after a disappointing 78 games.
65 – Justin Harding (Round 2)
South Africans missed the cut in their only public appearance in Muirfield in 2013.
Six years passed and he received modest returns at a uniform pace, but then bombed the first rankings on Friday with a 65 of 65.
This put him in fifth half and could challenge, but the weekend’s 74 and 76 laps dropped Harding to 41st.
65 – Kevin Streelman (Round 2)
Like McIlroy, Streelman endured a tough start, with his 6-pointer of over 77 thought the missed cut was definitely on the card.
But on Friday he rally. The American broke only 70 times in his first four public appearances and he handed 65 times to avoid early flights.
It turned out to be a slow weekend, which sparkled in the pan, meaning he failed to make the top 50 of his fifth public run.
65 – Danny Willett (3rd round)
McIlroy, Schauffele, Harding and Streelman’s ’65s proved a little while in the sun, but Willett’s 6-shot score paved the way for his joint best open finish.
The first day of the 74 season left him on the field, but he ranked 94th from the midpoint due to the 47 under 67.
On Saturday, he really put his feet down, the guy who won the Masters two years ago, roared to eighth with a 65.
63 – Shane Lowry (3rd round)
A pair of 67ers gave Lowry some lead, but only two shots were in the top 7 on the rankings. It looks very open.
But on Saturday, the Irish left the field and followed his footsteps, causing the 8 under 63 to sensation and roaring four.
Lowry made threes at 3 and 5 in 3 and 5, and made another 3 gains in 9, 10 and 12. Riding on the waves, then wearing a birdie hat with a hat trick in 15, 16 and 17, making everything he watched hold everything.
On Sunday, no one could get a hit, and Laurie won six further victories.
61 – Rory McIlroy – 2005
Lowry’s 63 is the current official course record for Royal Praporush as it has been changed by 2019.
But, asking many places, their first instinct was in 61 hits of magic by then-16-year-old Rory McIlroy, a stroke qualified for the Northern Ireland champion.
The round was sorted out in July 2005, fell in folklore, and appointed McIlroy as the future superstar.
McIlroy’s longtime coach Michael Bannon said in 2019 to Theopen.com: “A member of the golf club called me and told me I thought it was a joke.
But McIlroy did it, allowing the Birds to beat three records with three-pointers in the last five holes.
Read more: Tiger Woods is only fourth on the biggest open victory list – so who is in the top three?
