Shane Lowry says he can't believe he's now a major champion golfer.

The Offaly man stormed to victory at The Open at Royal Portrush with a final round 72 helping to finish six shots clear of Tommy Fleetwood.

It lifts Lowry to a career-high world ranking of 17th and he's also woken up today €1.7-million richer.

The 32-year-old is still coming to terms with his success.

"I can't believe it. This is not going to sink in for a few days," Lowry said. "Walking down 18 I could not believe this was happening to me. I feel like I am in an out-of-body experience. I was so calm.

"I didn't even know this morning if I was good enough to win a major. The people around me really believed which helped a lot. Times in the past when I was down on myself my coach Neil Manchip always said I was going to win one. At least one he said.

Lowry reserved special praise for his caddy Bo Martin for keeping him grounded during the final round.

"I talked to Bo a lot today, telling him I can't stop thinking about winning and holding the Claret Jug, this was after six or seven holes and he was like 'stay with me', he kept talking in my ear.

"I can't wait to wake up tomorrow and what it's going to feel like then. It's going to be incredible."

It was also a remarkable turnaround for a man who'd missed the last four cuts in the Open, including last year at Carnoustie when he played so badly in the first round he sacked his long-term caddie and broke down in tears.

"That just shows how fickle golf is," Lowry said. "I sat in the car park in Carnoustie on the Thursday and I cried. Golf wasn't my friend at the time. It was something that had become very stressful and it was weighing on me and I just didn't like doing it. What a difference a year makes I suppose."