Royal Portrush wasn't just another stop on the rotation. It was a massive, rain-soaked statement. When the R&A decided to take the Claret Jug back to Northern Ireland for the first time since 1951, everyone knew the atmosphere would be electric, but nobody quite predicted the absolute demolition job Shane Lowry would pull off. If you look back at the 2019 Open Championship leaderboard, it tells a story of survival, heartbreak, and one guy who basically decided he was immune to pressure and North Atlantic gales.
Lowry finished at 15-under par. That’s absurd. Especially when you consider the conditions on Sunday were, frankly, miserable. Tommy Fleetwood, who ended up in the runner-up spot, was six shots back. Six. In major championship golf, that is a canyon. Usually, the final round of an Open is a cage match where leads evaporate in the haar, but Lowry just kept walking through the rain in his quarter-zip, looking like a man who was simply out for a Sunday stroll in County Antrim.
The Names That Defined the 2019 Open Championship Leaderboard
Looking at the top of the pack, it’s a snapshot of a very specific era in professional golf. You had the "Big Tonk" energy of Brooks Koepka, the steady-but-frustrated Tommy Fleetwood, and a surging Lee Westwood who, for a minute there, made everyone believe in old-school magic again.
The final standings saw Lowry at -15, followed by Fleetwood at -9. Tony Finau, who seems to live in the top ten of majors without ever actually grabbing the trophy, finished alone in third at -7. Then you had the duo of Koepka and Westwood at -6. It was a weird mix. You had the most dominant force in world golf at the time (Koepka) unable to buy a putt, and a 46-year-old English legend (Westwood) showing the young kids how to play target golf in the wind.
Honestly, the 2019 Open Championship leaderboard is just as famous for who wasn't on it come Sunday. Rory McIlroy’s week was a tragedy in two acts. He opened with a quadruple-bogey 8 on the very first hole. On home soil. It was painful to watch. He shot an opening 79, then came back Friday with a heroic, heart-shattering 65 that still saw him miss the cut by a single stroke. The image of Rory fighting back tears while the crowd roared for a missed cut is probably the most "human" moment in Open history.
Breaking Down the Top Ten
It wasn't just a two-horse race until the very end. Robert MacIntyre, the young Scot, announced himself to the world that week by finishing T6. He shared that spot with Tyrrell Hatton, Danny Willett, and Rickie Fowler. Fowler’s presence there is a bit of a "what if" moment; he was playing some of the most consistent golf of his career back then, but Portrush didn't yield the birdies he needed on the weekend to pressure the lead.
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- Shane Lowry (-15) - A masterclass in wedge play and mental toughness.
- Tommy Fleetwood (-9) - Just couldn't get the putter hot when it mattered.
- Tony Finau (-7) - Another bridesmaid finish for the most consistent man in golf.
- Lee Westwood & Brooks Koepka (-6) - The veteran and the titan, both stalled out.
Lowry’s Saturday 63 was the turning point. It was a course record at the time for the new layout. He didn't just play the course; he bullied it. While everyone else was playing for par, Lowry was hunting flags. That 63 gave him a four-shot lead heading into Sunday, and despite a shaky start in the final round, he never really looked like he was going to let it slip.
Why the Portrush Conditions Changed Everything
Links golf is about trajectory. If you can’t flight your ball, you’re dead. The 2019 leaderboard reflects that perfectly. Players like J.B. Holmes, who was right in the mix after three rounds, absolutely collapsed on Sunday. Holmes shot an 87. An eighty-seven. In a major. That’s the "Portrush Tax." If your timing is off by a fraction of a second in that wind, the Dunluce Links will eat you alive.
Brooks Koepka’s performance was equally fascinating for different reasons. He was in the midst of a run where he finished 2nd, 1st, 2nd, and then 4th in the 2019 majors. Think about that. He almost won the Grand Slam in a single year. But at Portrush, his putter went stone cold. He started Sunday with four straight bogeys. It was like the golf gods decided enough was enough for Brooks that year.
The Westwood Resurgence
Seeing Lee Westwood’s name so high up on the 2019 Open Championship leaderboard brought a lot of nostalgia to the gallery. At 46, he wasn't supposed to outdrive the young guns, but he did. He played with a level of freedom that only comes when you’ve already seen everything the game can throw at you. His T4 finish was his best result in a major in years, and it proved that at the Open, experience often trumps raw ball speed.
The course itself was a character. Royal Portrush had been tweaked by Martin Ebert to replace the 17th and 18th holes with two new ones (the 7th and 8th). Most traditionalists were nervous. They shouldn't have been. The "Calamity Corner" par-3 16th lived up to its name, wrecking scorecards all week.
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The Statistical Outlier: Lowry’s Short Game
If you want to know how Lowry won by six, look at his scrambling. He was getting up and down from places that looked like literal cabbage patches. His touch around the greens is legendary in the locker room, but at Portrush, it was supernatural.
- Strokes Gained: Around the Green: Lowry led the field by a significant margin.
- Putting: He didn't three-putt once during the final round despite the wind gusting over 30 mph.
- Mental State: He looked "at home." Being from Offaly, Ireland, the misty, gray, howling conditions were basically a Tuesday for him.
Fleetwood, on the other hand, just couldn't find the bottom of the cup. He hit the ball well enough to win most Opens, but 33 putts on Sunday compared to Lowry’s efficiency meant the gap only grew. It was a reminder that while "drive for show, putt for dough" is a cliché, at the Open, it’s a law.
The Legacy of the 2019 Leaderboard
This tournament changed the trajectory of several careers. For Shane Lowry, it moved him from "good European Tour player" to "global superstar and Ryder Cup staple." For Tommy Fleetwood, it cemented his status as the best player without a major (a title he still battles today). For Rory McIlroy, it was a wake-up call that led to a massive shift in his approach to opening rounds.
It also proved that Northern Ireland is perhaps the best place on earth to host a major. The crowds were massive—237,750 people attended over the week, a record for an Open outside of St Andrews. The energy on the 18th hole when Lowry walked up was something you usually only see at a football match. It wasn't polite golf clapping; it was a roar that shook the grandstands.
Surprising Finishes You Might Have Forgotten
Look further down the 2019 Open Championship leaderboard and you'll see some names that feel like they belong to a different world.
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- Jordan Spieth: Finished T20. He was in the middle of his "slump," struggling with his swing but grinding out scores through sheer willpower.
- Tiger Woods: Missed the cut. After the high of winning the 2019 Masters, Tiger’s body simply wouldn't cooperate in the cold air of Portrush. He looked stiff and uncomfortable from the first tee shot.
- Patrick Reed: Finished T10. Despite being the villain of the week for many, he navigated the links incredibly well.
Actionable Insights for Golf Fans and Players
If you're looking at the 2019 results to improve your own game or your betting strategy for future Opens, there are a few concrete takeaways.
1. Prioritize Ball Flight Over Distance
The 2019 leaderboard was dominated by players who could hit "stingers." If you play in windy conditions, stop trying to hit the ball high. Learn to deloft your irons.
2. Scrambling is King
Lowry didn't win because he hit every green. He won because when he missed, he didn't make bogey. For amateur players, working on your 30-yard pitch shot will shave more strokes than a new driver ever will.
3. Mental Resilience Under Fire
Lowry’s ability to reset after a shaky opening hole on Sunday is the blueprint. He didn't panic. He knew the field would struggle too. In your own rounds, realize that a double bogey isn't the end of the world—the rest of the field is likely struggling just as much as you are.
4. Research Course Pedigree
The next time the Open returns to a venue like Portrush or Hoylake, look for players who grew up playing in the UK or Ireland. The "home field advantage" isn't just about the crowd; it's about being comfortable in a sweater when it's July.
The 2019 Open was a singular moment in time where the venue, the winner, and the atmosphere aligned perfectly. It remains a high-water mark for the R&A and a reminder that golf is best when it's played in the elements, on the edge of the sea, with a leaderboard full of players who know how to grind. For Lowry, it was a coronation. For the rest of the field, it was a grueling lesson in links survival.
If you're diving into the historical stats of that week, pay attention to the "Bounce Back" percentage. Lowry led that too. It’s the ultimate stat for anyone who wants to understand why he walked away with the Claret Jug while everyone else was just trying to stay dry.