The Open de España presented by Madrid adds another hugely significant name to its next edition. Shane Lowry, a Major winner, seven-time professional champion and one of the most charismatic players in European golf, will compete from 8 to 11 October at the Club de Campo Villa de Madrid.
The Irishman’s presence raises the level even further on a line-up that already includes Jon Rahm, Tyrrell Hatton, the defending champion Marco Penge and a strong Spanish contingent. Lowry will arrive in Madrid with experience, quality and a record that places him, on merit, among the leading contenders for the title.
The Clara native, 39, has won four European Tour events and three on the PGA Tour. His record includes highly prestigious victories such as The Open Championship in 2019, the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational in 2015, the BMW PGA Championship in 2022 and the Zurich Classic of New Orleans in 2024.
His latest major contribution to European golf came in the Ryder Cup in 2025, played in the particularly hostile atmosphere of Bethpage. Lowry contributed two points to Europe’s victory and produced one of the week’s most important moments.
In the pairs sessions, alongside Rory McIlroy, he beat Justin Thomas and Cameron Young and halved the match against Sam Burns and Patrick Cantlay. However, his most memorable moment came during the Sunday singles.
Lowry holed the putt on the 18th that gave Europe the half-point it needed to officially retain the trophy. A shot full of pressure, emotion and meaning that made him one of the great heroes of that victory
From amateur champion to Major winner
Lowry’s career is marked by his ability to perform on the biggest stages, but also by a professional beginning that was completely out of the ordinary.
In 2009, still an amateur, he won the Irish Open and became the third amateur player ever to win a European Tour event. That victory changed his life overnight.
“My life changed overnight. At that time I wasn’t even a student, I had left university. I was just an amateur golfer. I didn’t have much money in my bank account. And suddenly you’re on the European Tour,” Lowry recalls.
The impact of that triumph went far beyond the golf course.
“It was huge for the town. There was a parade and a party that lasted into the early hours,” the player himself explained.
The win immediately opened the doors to the elite. Three years later he won the Portugal Masters in 2012 and in 2015 he achieved one of the biggest successes of his early professional career by prevailing at the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational, by which time he had become a PGA Tour member.
His definitive consecration came in 2019. Lowry won The Open Championship and lifted the Claret Jug in front of the Irish public at Royal Portrush, the greatest achievement of a career built on consistency, competitiveness and a huge ability to raise his game in the most pressure-filled moments.
That same year he had also won the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship. He later added the BMW PGA Championship in 2022 and the Zurich Classic of New Orleans in 2024 to his record, partnering with Rory McIlroy
A player especially popular with the public
Beyond his results, Lowry is one of the most popular golfers on the DP World Tour. His approachable character, his expressiveness on the course and his way of competing have created a special connection with the fans.
His popularity in Ireland even transcends golf. Lowry is passionate about Gaelic football, rugby and association football, and at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games he was chosen as a flag-bearer for his country alongside athlete Sarah Lavin during the opening ceremony.
Madrid will now have the opportunity to see him up close in a tournament that continues to strengthen its field. The combination of Lowry, Rahm and Hatton guarantees the presence of three players used to competing under the highest pressure and with ample experience in Ryder Cups and Majors.
Joining them is Marco Penge, who will return to the Club de Campo Villa de Madrid to defend the title he won in the last edition, as well as a Spanish Armada that will once again seek a hugely valuable victory in front of their home crowd.
Lowry will land in the capital as one of the big names to follow. A The Open champion, a decisive protagonist of the Ryder Cup and a player who has shown for more than fifteen years that he can win on practically any stage.
Tickets for the Open de España presented by Madrid, which will be played from 8 to 11 October, are already available via the tournament’s official website.
