‘Maybe we had it too good’: A day to cherish Irish golf’s golden eraAn appreciative Doonbeg crowd savoured the golf and the occasion as Shane Lowry offered a timely reminder: Irish golf has enjoyed an extraordinary era, and these are days to savour Sat, 12 Sep, 2026 – 02:00Maurice Brosnan
The consternation beside the 16th green forced Jon Rahm to stop as he was setting up. His caddie spun to confront the crowd, only to realise what had them in knots: a mouse.
The creature scampered towards the pin before veering left and careering into a steep bunker. Adam Hayes, in his all-white boiler suit, called over to the Spaniard to explain the noise. He felt the two-time major winner required an explanation for why the Doonbeg gallery had suddenly jolted from its state of reverence.
Now look, before we go any further, we will openly acknowledge that Irish sport’s proud history of celebrating its own supporters can be deeply tedious. The mantle of the best fans in the world probably shouldn’t be bestowed by said fans.
Nevertheless, a few realities were apparent at Trump International on Friday as Shane Lowry sauntered around with the patrons in the palm of his hand.
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The first, to build on the observation from the Walker Cup up the road in Lahinch last week, is the lack of phones on the course. It is not quite monastic; around the tees in particular is iPhone central, especially when Rory McIlroy is nearby. Yet in general, there is a noticeable sense of engaged fans content to watch with their own eyes rather than through a four-inch screen in front of their faces.
There is also a lovely, positive reception for good shots. Lowry’s terrific approach on the fifth was immediately met with a roar, but so was Patrick Reed’s deft chop shot out of the fescue. A shout of encouragement shot from the hill behind him: “Mon Paddy!”
Everyone was in better humour. When Lowry’s group reached the logjam on the fourth, a bottleneck proving to be the most frustrating pinch point, Brooks Koepka was just moving down after his drive. “It’s better than yesterday,” he said to the waiting group with a grin. Was he talking about the conditions, the course, the crowd or his play? All of the above.
There are all kinds of folks. Tickets for this day started at €55, with under-13s going free. A handy way to identify the demographic was in the sheer spread of GAA jerseys: Mayo, Kerry, Clare, Monaghan, Limerick, Galway, Down, Offaly, and Cork were all well represented. A spread of golf clubs were there too: Macroom, Lahinch, Parknasilla, Adare.
The schools of west Clare must have been deserted this week. Children kept themselves occupied during delays by sliding down dunes like human bobsleds. Their eagerness got them in trouble along the 17th as they tried to run up along the fairway to see Lowry hit in. Fussy stewards were able to momentarily stem the tide, but they couldn’t quench their spirit.
There was an appreciation in the air. After his scintillating round, Lowry strode to the mixed zone with a broad grin. The boom mic was a few inches too low and had to be adjusted higher. “Rory was in before me, so,” he said with a laugh.
Nearby, the All-Ireland winning Mayo footballers stood and watched. Ryan O’Donoghue and Aidan O’Shea sauntered over for a chat and a photo; Tommy Conroy and Cian McHale waited on the other side of the rope.
They flocked here to bask in a communal glow: this is a stacked field on a gorgeous links course with as many as 10 Irishmen in the field. Amidst details about how good it is to be home, what he anticipates for the weekend and how the Katie Taylor fight was the best sporting event he has ever attended, Lowry issued a poignant reminder for the sporting nation.
“For the last 20 years, I think we have had an unbelievable era in Irish golf,” he said.
“Yes, I would like to see more young guys and more guys on the DP World Tour coming through. But if you look at the top level of world golf, male and female now with Leona and what she is doing, and obviously what Rory’s done, and then Padraig and Darren and G-Mac and myself and the majors we’ve won, we are very lucky and I think at some stage down the road we’ll think back to these days and be like, ‘Maybe we had it too good and we didn’t think enough of it at the time.’”
Thankfully, the sense of gratitude was obvious throughout the day: they truly did relish it. They should.
Easy to say from the sanctuary of inside the ropes. Sometimes scribes try and explain there is more to the gig than you’d imagine, but this Irish Open is not one of them. An orange trinket, like a captain’s armband, permits journalists to walk with the groups, close enough to touch their backswing as they stand over various shots.
And yet we found ourselves spending a significant amount of time looking into the teeming banks on the other side. Their warmth contributed to an immense atmosphere. Defending champion Rory McIlroy made a point of saluting it afterwards.
“It is always a pleasure to come home and play in front of them,” he explained.
“They appreciate golf. They appreciate what a good shot is. They are very knowledgeable, very respectful, and they’re enthusiastic. So when you get a combination of all that, it is a really nice atmosphere to play in.”
This is why we do it. The thrill of being at a live event, of everyone tethered together in a shared, fleeting way, is the essence of the allure. It was there right until sunset, as lingering enthusiasts sat on the natural amphitheatre to watch the final few pass by. There is no grand philosophical explanation here; they simply like good golf in good weather on a good day.
Thursday brought foul weather and glacial pace; Saturday and Sunday will have their own complications due to the arrival of the notorious owner, but Friday will endure because of the feeling that was etched across so many faces.
People happy to be here.
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