Lowry's four-shot cushion into the final round puts him within striking distance of his first individual title since 2022. The Irishman carded a five-under 65 on Saturday at Trump International Golf Links in Doonbeg to extend his control of the Irish Open to -16, while Jacob Skov Olesen sits second at -12 and Joaquin Niemann is third at -9.
Lowry began the weekend three clear after posting a course-record 62 on Friday and kept his momentum on a day briefly interrupted by the arrival of US President Donald Trump at nearby Shannon Airport. Lowry rolled a number of crucial putts late in his round, sank several pars that defused pressure from the chasing group, and said, "I'm normally the one watching other people do it, so why not me sometimes." He added that he is "seeing my lines well and starting the ball where I want" and hopes that form holds for the remaining 24 hours.
Denmark's Olesen, seeking his first DP World Tour title, shot a four-under 66 and matched Niemann's round to stay in contention, but both players fell short of Lowry on the finishing holes. Olesen, the left-hander who sits 11th on the Race to Dubai standings, made an eagle at the eighth and kept pace until missing a nine-footer for birdie at 17 and then failing to hole a three-foot par putt on 18. Niemann recorded six birdies and two bogeys in his round to reach -9.
Other notable positions include Daniel Rodrigues and Tom McKibbin at -7, and Rasmus Hojgaard at -6. Rory McIlroy and Jon Rahm slipped down the leaderboard after tough rounds, McIlroy at +2 following two double bogeys on the front nine and Rahm one shot better. McIlroy, who was looking for a recovery as Air Force One passed overhead, said the arrival was "pretty cool" and that he was trying to concentrate on his own game.
Lowry, a 2019 Open champion who also won the Irish Open as an amateur in 2007, said the final day is "a big day for me tomorrow" and vowed to focus on his tee time and "give it a run." The final round will decide whether he converts this lead into his first individual victory since the 2022 BMW PGA Championship.
