PORTRUSH, Northern Ireland — Birdie after birdie. Roar after roar.

It certainly looked and sounded like the round of a lifetime for Shane Lowry of Ireland, but he still needs to handle the pressure and the stormy weather on Sunday if he is to win the British Open just a few hours from home.

Lowry, a stout 32-year-old whose father, Brendan, was a prominent Gaelic football player, missed the cut the last four years at the Open. He lost his playing privileges on the PGA Tour, the sport’s El Dorado, in 2018.

But he has been playing deeply inspired and deeply composed golf at Royal Portrush in this tournament and is receiving an abundance of positive feedback from the capacity crowds lining this scenic, undulating course.

His brilliant, eight-under-par round of 63 on Saturday in relatively benign conditions put him at 16 under and gave him a four-shot lead over the Englishman Tommy Fleetwood heading into the final round.