If you ask AI the definition of a hero, you will get the following explanation: “A hero is a person who is admired for their courage, outstanding achievements, or noble qualities. Often, heroes demonstrate selflessness and act for the benefit of others or a greater cause, sometimes in the face of great adversity or risk. While the idea of a hero has roots in ancient mythology and epic tales, today it is recognized that ordinary people can become heroes through extraordinary actions in the face of adversity”.
With that in mind, the Open de España presented by Madrid commenced on Thursday with two of the heroes of the 2025 Ryder Cup in its field. History will remember Shane Lowry as the player who holed the putt to retain the cup for Europe. Only a handful of men can boast to have done the same and Lowry now has quite the story to tell his grandchildren. Having been en route to a historic thrashing of USA on American soil, Sunday proved to be a long and stressful road to a 15-13 victory for Luke Donald’s side that will not easily be forgotten by anyone who witnessed it.
At this point we can return to the end of the definition at the top of this article: “ordinary people can become heroes through extraordinary actions in the face of adversity”, which is exactly what the Irishman did. When the Old Continent was staring the prospect of a painful defeat in the face, Lowry was there to produce one of the most memorable moments in Ryder Cup history. “We could do something great here”, he said to his caddie on the 18th fairway of Bethpage Black. To say he did that would be something an understatement.
You can feel it in the air at Club de Campo, you can see it in the spectators’ faces. They’re all Lowry fans now. In fact, anyone who loves golf is a Lowry fan now. The rapturous applause he received on the 10th hole at Club de Campo at 0930 in the morning was overflowing with gratitude. It is telling that the cheer for the Irishman matched, or even surpassed that of Rahm. The tournament is relishing having a player who is part of the history of this sport. His career has taken on another dimension and the event has grown as a result.
Jon Rahm was also on that green in New York. He admitted that he found it hard to watch that putt. The Barrika native, a key member of the team on Friday and Saturday of the Ryder Cup, secured 3 vital points to give Europe a seven-point cushion heading into Sunday. The Spaniard’s golf in his first three matches was on another planet. His tally remained at 3, but he was there on the 18th green, willing Shane on more than anyone. This sums Jon up perfectly; a team player and a lover of the Ryder Cup. “I’d like to play with Lowry just to thank him again for what he did on Sunday”, the Basque said at the tournament presentation. Jon got his wish, and he will be thanking the Irishman on behalf of an entire continent.
