Lowry wins Irish Open after playoff with Rock

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BALTRAY, Ireland (AP) -- Irish amateur Shane Lowry, 22, rounded off a remarkable debut on the European Tour by winning the Irish Open title on Sunday after a sudden death playoff against Robert Rock of England.

Lowry, who missed a three-foot putt to win on the 72nd hole as he and Rock finished on 17-under-par totals of 271, finally sealed victory with a par five on the third extra hole.

They halved the 18th at their first two holes of the playoff, but Lowry made par on the third attempt as Rock missed the green with his third shot and took three more to get down.

Lowry is only the third amateur to win on the European Tour. Danny Lee of New Zealand won the Johnnie Walker Classic in February and Pablo Martin of Spain took the Russian Open in 2007.

He is the first amateur to win on his debut appearance.

"I don't know how I missed that putt on the 72nd. I just pulled it," Lowry said.

As he left the green, Rory McIlroy had a brief word in his ear. "He just told me 'Don't worry. Just keep it going'," Lowry said.

In the playoff, Rock missed a 10-footer for victory on the first hole but made a 9-footer to match Lowry's birdie at the second try.

Both missed the fairway on the next effort and were short of the green, but Lowry pitched to 20 feet and two putted. Rock cleared the green, pitched to seven feet and missed.

"I can't describe how I feel. I had an invite to play here and just wanted to make the cut. But after I shot 62 Friday, I felt I could win," Lowry said.

McIlroy, who tied 45th in a disappointing week, was delighted for his friend.

"This was awesome. Shane's a great guy and thoroughly deserved this. To have to survive a three-hole playoff was incredible."

Lowry may decide to turn pro immediately. If he does, he can play in this week's BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth.

"I'll have to think about it overnight and talk to a few people," Lowry said.

McIlroy thought he should. "He has nothing left to do as an amateur," he said.

Rock said he was trying to chip in from off the green with his fourth shot on the last hole. "You have to. I thought I needed it to win," he said. "But I hit it too hard."

His consolation was that the ?500,000 that would have been Lowry's reward if he had been a professional now goes to Rock.

Johan Edfors of Sweden also shot 71 to take third place on 273.

Marc Warren (68) and Nick Dougherty (69) shared fourth place on 275.

European Ryder Cup captain Colin Montgomerie, in contention after three rounds, soared to a closing 80 to tie 41st.

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