North coast B&B adds mural of Rory McIlroy overlooking famous golf course
Self-taught artist Ian Lowry added the finishing touches to the painting of the Masters champion on Wednesday.
The Bangor creative got to work on the colourful depiction last Tuesday after being contacted by Number 5 in Portstewart which overlooks the famous Royal Portrush Golf Club.
It comes as anticipation builds for the 153rd Open which will tee off on July 17 with McIlroy himself expected to take part.
Mr Lowry has left space to add the winner of the upcoming tournament.
'I have done artwork for her whole back garden. There is a giant wall that goes right the way around,' he said.
'I have done bits and pieces in the past. I actually did one last year for the North West 200, because the house is actually overlooking the track.
'What I have recently painted is a golf theme one, it is for the Open coming up.
'So, Rory will be up there, along with six other golfers. I am going to keep an empty space for whoever wins the Open in July.
'It is maybe about three or four foot high, and the wall runs all the way down the drive.
'The background is a golf course, along with sky and clouds. Then there are the golfers on each section of the wall,'
Mr Lowry, who began creating murals eight years ago, hand paints all his work and is reluctant to use sprays.
More used to brightening up children's bedrooms, he didn't hesitate to accept his latest commission.
'Usually it is indoor, so it is very rare I would get to do something outdoors,' Mr Lowry said.
'Nine times out of 10 I am painting baby things and cartoon characters. But every once and a while, you get to do something quite good, in portraits.'
But Ian's previous projects have included art installments for local businesses seeking to feature famous faces such as music legends Jimi Hendrix and Ozzy Osbourne, along with an NI boxing hero.
'I got one last week of Carl Frampton, that was at Integrated College Glengormley. That was actually the school he went to,' Mr Lowry said.
'That piece was in association with the Integrated Education Fund.
"Tim McGarry from Give My Head Peace was down to see it was well, because he is involved with the fund.'
The portrait of McIlroy, who laid claim to the iconic green jacket in April, also features other famous golfing faces such as Tiger Woods.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Scottish Sun
an hour ago
- Scottish Sun
Brit athletics champion, 81, is a MONK who took 70 YEARS to claim first gold after ‘nearly collapsing' on first run
SIGN OF THE CROSSFIT Brit athletics champion, 81, is a MONK who took 70 YEARS to claim first gold after 'nearly collapsing' on first run Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) A MARATHON monk has become a British athletics champion after SEVENTY YEARS despite 'nearly collapsing' on his first run. Father John Gribben is a sprightly 81 years old and can now claim to be top of his field after winning a gold medal at the British Masters Indoor Track and Field Championships. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 2 A sprightly elderly monk has become a gold medal British athletics champion Credit: Guzelian 2 Father John Gribben, 81, is known as the 'sprinting monk' Credit: Guzelian Known as the 'sprinting monk' among parishioners, he won the 400 metre dash in two minutes, three seconds and 190 milliseconds. Gribben also secured bronze medals in the 60 metre and 200 metre events in London. But it took him 70 long years to finally achieve running stardom, with Gribben's first attempt at the sport coming in the 1950s. That didn't exactly go to plan, with octogenarian admitting he could barely stand up straight after a half-mile effort. READ MORE IN ATHLETICS HURD MENTALITY Fans stunned at how sprinter finished race after falling over final hurdle He told The Times: 'I nearly collapsed after that first run. I said, 'I'm not a runner', but I never stopped after it.' Gribben started to master the art of running when he moved to Mirfield, West Yorkshire, in 1979 — where he remains to this day. And like any good athlete, Gribben dedicates himself to a gruelling mid-week training schedule. He explained: 'Three nights at least of a 5km run, most days I'll do a 60 metre sprint, and then the other things are an hour at the local gym a couple of days a week.' The Belfast native, who attended a theological college in Dublin, mainly gets his racing kicks at Greenhead Park's Parkrun in Huddersfield. He's since completed over 250 events, boasting an impressive 5km Personal Best of 26 minutes. I'm a parkrun fanatic - here are my top 10 tips for first-timers as the event turns 20 Gribben, who takes TWO buses to reach the course, started attending when he was nearly 70 years old. He now runs 5km in around 40 minutes, and those Saturday morning slogs finally paid dividends when he clinched gold at the Masters. Gribben also revealed the spiritual kick he gets from running, adding: 'There's something in the spring, you hit one point where it is ecstasy, you're outside yourself almost, when you hit that speed that carries you the last whatever you need to get to the line. 'Sometimes I just say to my saviour, 'Well I'll run if you run with me'. 'I don't know that I get an answer but… I start putting on my trainers and it feels good to do.'
Daily Record
2 hours ago
- Daily Record
Rory McIlroy makes key change to his bag ahead of US Open after failed PGA test
The Grand Slam superstar has a new driver in the bag ahead of next week's US Open Superstar Rory McIlroy has made a major driver change just weeks after his non-conforming drama at the PGA Championship. The Northern Irish star admitted he was 'p****d off' after news leaked that his main weapon had failed a routine test at Quail Hollow. McIlroy had to change just prior to the event and didn't show his usual sparkle off the tees as he toiled down the field behind winner Scottie Scheffler. The career Grand Slam star is now back into competition mode at the RBC Canadian Open after being absent since the PGA with a new and different driver in the bag. McIlroy started out at TPC Toronto with a TaylorMade Qi35 driver and had reasonable success with nine out of 14 fairways hit on day one, despite a frustrating opening effort of one-over par. The work will continue ahead of next week's US Open at Oakmont as the five-times Major winner aims to make it half a dozen in Pennsylvania and made up for last year's heartbreaking loss on the final green to Bryson DeChambeau at Pinehurst. McIlroy reflected on using the new tool on day one in Canada as he said: 'It's hard with the driver. With the one I had been playing with previously, my miss with it was a little bit left. "And then my miss with this one is a little bit right, so it's just trying to figure out that and manage it a little bit. 'But a nice feeling to be able to aim up the middle of the fairway and fully release it and know it's not going to go left on you.' McIlroy starts out on day two with a job to make the weekend's play as he currently sits 10 shots behind leaders Thorbjorn Olesen and Cristobal Del Solar and fighting to make the cut with a current position of tied-199th on the standings. You can get all the news you need on our dedicated Rangers and Celtic pages, and sign up to our newsletters to make sure you never miss a beat throughout the season. We're also on WhatsApp where we bring all the latest breaking news and transfer gossip directly to you phone. Join our Rangers community here and our Celtic community here.
The National
3 hours ago
- The National
Scheffler, McIlroy or DeChambeau
DeChambeau is bidding to win his third US Open following victories at Winged Foot in 2020 and Pinehurst last year, where he edged out Rory McIlroy in a thrilling finish. Here, the PA news agency looks at some of the main contenders for the year's third major championship. Scottie Scheffler Scottie Scheffler won the US PGA Championship at Quail Hollow (David J. Phillip/AP) Scheffler recovered from a relatively slow start to the season to win the CJ Cup Byron Nelson by eight shots in his adopted home state of Texas and followed up with a five-shot victory in the US PGA Championship for his third major title. The world number one was a 19-year-old amateur when he held the clubhouse lead after bad weather brought the first day's play to an early end the last time Oakmont hosted the US Open in 2016 and it would be no surprise to see his name on top of the leaderboard again nine years on. Rory McIlroy A U.S. Open champion at 22. The career grand slam now. Congrats, Rory. 👏 — U.S. Open (@usopengolf) April 13, 2025 McIlroy could only follow his Masters triumph with a share of 47th in the US PGA at Quail Hollow, a venue where he had won four times before, and declined to speak to the media after every round. The world number two's driver was deemed non-confirming earlier in the week and he struggled off the tee, but McIlroy – who missed the cut at Oakmont in 2016 and in each of the next two US Opens – has come to relish the tough test it provides and his form figures since 2019 read 9-8-7-5-2-2. Bryson DeChambeau Bryson's clutch bunker shot forever immortalized at Pinehurst No. 2. — U.S. Open (@usopengolf) April 14, 2025 DeChambeau has become a fixture on major championship leaderboards since his move to LIV Golf, his US Open win last year one of five top-six finishes in his last six starts. DeChambeau led after two holes of the final round of the Masters before fading to a closing 75 and also failed to convert a promising position in the US PGA before finishing in a tie for second, but his 2020 victory at Winged Foot proved he can overpower a traditional US Open-style venue, with Oakmont very much in that category. Shane Lowry Shane Lowry held a four-shot lead after 54 holes when Oakmont last staged the US Open in 2016 (Zac Goodwin/PA) Lowry held a four-shot lead after 54 holes at Oakmont in 2016, but struggled to a closing 76 to finish three shots behind Dustin Johnson. Three years later he converted the same advantage into his first major title in the Open Championship at Royal Portrush and although he has not won as often as a player of his ability should, five of his six DP World Tour victories have come in prestigious events. Jon Rahm Tough finish for me on Sunday but hats off to Scottie on an amazing win – always love the battle! Thanks to the PGA of America, all of the volunteers, fans, and everyone at Quail Hollow Club for putting on a great event. Taking lots of positives with me for the rest of the year,… — Jon Rahm Rodriguez (@JonRahmOfficial) May 21, 2025 Rahm made a welcome return to contention in the majors with his performance in the US PGA Championship, where he wiped out a five-shot deficit to claim a share of the lead after 11 holes of the final round, only to drop five shots on the closing three holes after Scheffler had responded with two crucial birdies. He won his first major in the 2021 US Open at Torrey Pines and added the Masters title in 2023 but had struggled to produce his best form following his shock move to LIV Golf at the end of 2023.
