Cape Town – Ireland’s Shane Lowry withstood howling wind and rain to win his first major at the Open Championship by six shots from Tommy Fleetwood on Sunday.

FULL LEADERBOARD: OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP

In desperately difficult conditions, Lowry’s one-over par final round was still more than enough as he finished on 15-under for the tournament to claim the Claret Jug.

Fleetwood could never apply enough pressure as Lowry never had less than a three-shot lead throughout his round and a double bogey at the 14th realistically ended the Englishman’s challenge as he finished three-over for the day on nine-under.

Roared on by huge crowds despite the inclement weather at Royal Portrush, Lowry had a nervy start as he bogeyed the opening hole.

However, he looked set to romp to victory after making three birdies in four holes between four and seven to move to 18-under.

Strengthening winds and lashing rain halted Lowry’s charge towards the finish line as dropped shots at eight, nine and 11 to give Fleetwood hope.

World number one Brooks Koepka was hoping for the wind to blow Lowry off course, but it was his chances that were washed away early on.

Four consecutive bogeys on the first four holes realistically ended the four-time major winner’s challenge for a first Open Championship.

Koepka battled back with an eagle at the fifth, but dropped shots at 11 and 17 ensured he narrowly missed out on becoming the first man to finish in the top three at all four majors in a calendar year in a tie for fourth alongside Lee Westwood on six-under.

Westwood registered his 12th top-five finish in a major, but is still yet to win one as he slipped back from 10-under after 10 holes.

Scotland’s Bob MacIntyre in his first Open Championship, Englishmen Tyrrell Hatton and Danny Willett and America’s Ricky Fowler finished on five-under for a share of sixth.

Last year’s champion Francesco Molinari took advantage of easier weather conditions to post the round of the day with a 66 to climb up to a tie for 11th on three-under.

However, J.B. Holmes, who led at the halfway stage with Lowry, and started the day in third endured a horrendous day as the American shot a 16-over 87 to tumble down to 67th.

American’s Tony Finau was the only man in the final 10 groups to manage level par for the day and took third place on seven-under.