Midlands native has memorable encounter with Shane Lowry at Irish Open

Like many golf fans, Rosemount native Gerry Browne was keen to follow Shane Lowry's fortunes at the Irish Open in The K Club.

But when he booked tickets for himself and his brother Aidan to attend the event, the New York resident could hardly have imagined that he'd end up teeing off at the 12th hole alongside the Clara superstar!

Once-in-lifetime opportunity presented itself after Gerry signed up for a 'beat the pro' competition which was held at the Irish Open on the Saturday of the competition weekend.

Speaking earlier this week, Gerry explained how it all came about.

He said he'd travelled to a family get-together with his brothers in Prague back in January, but his brother Aidan unfortunately didn't get to attend because of storm damage to a warehouse at his business, Aidan Browne Wooden Floors and Doors in Athlone.

"I had missed seeing Aidan in January, so I decided I'd get tickets for myself and him to go to the Irish Open," said Gerry.

"After applying for the tickets, I was on the (Irish Open) email list and they sent me an email about entering a competition for a chance to 'beat the pro' as it's called."

Gerry's entry was successful, and, of all the professionals competing at the event, the one he most wanted to be paired with was Lowry.

"Shane Lowry is a major star, and not far from us (in Westmeath), so he was the guy I was hoping for," he said.

"You didn't find out which pro you were being paired with until the Friday night, and at about 10pm I got the email to say I would be with Lowry!

"I was just absolutely over the moon. It was almost like a dream. You were saying to yourself, 'how could this happen?'"

He said that he and his brothers and friends celebrated the news late into Friday night in Dublin, before he rose on Saturday to head to the K Club.

"I watched the three or four 'beat the pro' groups before Shane and I knew I had nothing to be nervous about, because most people were hitting it into the water and things like that. So I just told myself to relax and hit the ball.

"Shane came up onto the tee box. He was all business, very intense. He was contending (for the Irish Open) so obviously he was focused. But I mentioned to him that I was from Rosemount."

Lowry and the pro next to him took their opening shots at the par-3 twelfth, with both landing on the green, close to the pin.

"I then had to stand up there," said Gerry. "I didn't have my own golf club, or a chance to warm up or anything, but I hit the ball anyway, and it landed on the green! Shane was delighted.

"I had to hit a five wood which, if Shane had it, he would have probably sent it over the stands! He had had an eight iron and he said, 'I saw you coming with this wood, and I didn't know what to make of you!'

"But he was delighted, and he was laughing and joking. He was very focused, but as soon as he took his shot he was fine. He was very personable."

Lowry agreed to a request for a photo, calling over his caddy to take a picture of himself and Gerry, with the green at the 12th hole in the background.

"Lowry was very gracious, I have to say. It was lovely. It was a once in a lifetime thing, and (a photo) I'm going to get framed.

"It was then back to business. He made the birdie, and on he went."

Despite landing his tee shot on the green, Gerry wasn't allowed onto the green to putt it - but was handed the ball as a souvenir.

"It was funny, later on that night that we were out in a bar in Dublin and we ran into (top US golfer) Brooks Koepka, and got a picture with him as well! So that topped off the day. He was very gracious as well."

Gerry is living in Westchester County, just north of New York City. A married father of two, he has been based in the United States since 1988.

He has sisters Patricia (living in Wicklow), Noreen (living in Kerry), Muriel (living in Mount Temple), Aidan (living in Walderstown), Ray (living in Maynooth) and Padraig, living in the family's home place in Rosemount.

Gerry also gave an "honourable mention" to two good friends of his in New York who also came back with him to Ireland for the Irish Open: Eddie Gowran from Tullamore and Gene McNulty from Warrenpoint in Down.