CADDIE'S ROLE:Shane Lowry came of age on the European Tour with his first win as a professional, writes COLIN BYRNE

SHANE LOWRY has won twice now on the European Tour at the tender age of 25. His win on the Algarve last Sunday was an achievement of monumental importance which doesn’t surprise him but may have got the attention of many who probably expected annual victories after his Irish Open win as a mere amateur three years ago.

I have often tried to explain how difficult it is to win a golf tournament. With so many predators circling you as you near your 72nd hole, it is easy to get distracted. But of course the most important person you have to watch out for in pursuit of a title is yourself. How do you handle the emotion of feeling like it is your time to win.

Shane Lowry has now spent over three years learning how to simply survive on tour and then figuring out how to improve and ultimately become a more mature contender. It is a fact that on today’s tour you have to be talented to survive but what leads you to victory is an understanding of how to control and take advantage of that talent.

As with any first-time, early-in-their career winner there are mixed feelings from wise old hands about the advantages of a quick win. It would probably be fair to say that winning early comes from almost ignorant prowess, where there is no expectation, no fear of failure and, more importantly, no fear of success.

But to win again is arguably more difficult because of a more profound understanding of just how difficult it really is.

Shane took a wise decision to turn professional after his win in Baltray in the spring of 2009 and began his apprenticeship on tour with the comfort of an exemption for a couple of years. He used his time very effectively, almost like an intern in a big corporation with a chance of earning and learning.

As he eased his way into his new way of life he realised that he needed a more experienced caddie to show him around the new courses that he was facing and to instill a more formal kind of strategy into his game.

The chosen bagman was Dermot Byrne who worked for Peter Lawrie. Although Dermot had developed a successful partnership with Lawrie, he wanted a new challenge and decided that he would try his luck with a young and talented hopeful in Lowry.

The new partnership was as much about life off course on tour as it was on course. Shane needed some direction in his time spent away from home when he wasn’t on the golf course. So Dermot was able to advise his new boss where to stay, where to eat and how to get around as comfortably and as efficiently as he could.

As a novice on tour being relaxed in your environment away from the golf course is as important as how you deal with your strategy on the course. Dermot was well versed in how to make his man feel more at ease with his environment when he was on tour.

There was a sense of destiny with Shane at the Victoria course in Villamoura last week. At a venue which is almost predictably windy by midday, the afternoon south-westerly was nothing that a good ball-striker – reared on knock-down and punch shots like Lowry – was going to fear.

Chipping in on the 10th hole on Saturday when his ball looked like it was racing across the green and off the other side probably saved Shane a couple of shots.

It happened again on the seventh hole of his final round as his bunker shot was hit too firmly but caught the pin to slow it down a couple of feet from the hole. When that sort of thing happens, a player starts to get a sense of a chronicle of a tournament victory foretold.

So when his seven iron from 138 yards went in the hole for an eagle on the 11th on Sunday Shane was acutely aware the golfing gods were looking down upon him favourably.

Despite the fact you need an element of luck to hole an iron shot there are not many players who can hold up a seven iron into a strong left to right wind and control its flight all the way to the cup. This is the sign of a truly talented golfer.

Although nervous for his remaining seven holes, Shane’s hands-on experience of trying to win again over the past three years guided him to the Portugal Masters title without having to endure a play-off.

Having the acumen not to go for the green out of the fairway bunker on the final hole and settle for a bogey showed how far the raw amateur of the Irish Open at Baltray had come.

Life on tour has given the Clara man time to learn more about himself as a professional golfer. His coach Neil Manchip compliments his prize student on his ability to keep things simple. He understands when he is being too aggressive or too defensive during a round. He has become more specific, better at shot selection and distance control. Manchip believes he has developed organically over his years on tour.

Wearing his empowering Clara colours of black and white last Sunday in the Algarve and with his parents present, Shane Lowry came of age on the European Tour with his first victory as a professional.