Niall Horan might be a megastar in the music business but he was almost reduced to tears as Brendan Lawlor continued his amazing start to his career by claiming a second victory in back-to-back weeks at the ISPS HANDA World Disability Invitational.

Horan’s Modest! Golf agency manages a string of top golfers as well as running the innovative tournament which was tri-sanctioned by the European Tour, the LPGA and the LET at Galgorm Castle and Massereene last week.

He signed Lawlor (22) two years ago.

And he was almost in tears as the Dundalk man moved to the top of the World Ranking for Golfers with Disability this week.

“He’s unbelievable,” Horan said on Sunday as he choked back tears. “What he’s done the last couple of years, he’s a superstar this fella. He doesn’t see his disability as a disability at all. He takes every opportunity by the scruff of the neck. Every time the European Tour has put a disabled section at the end of the main event, he has either won it or gone close.

“I am just so proud of him and he goes to world No 1 this week, which he has been waiting his whole life for. We are just so proud of him.”

Lawlor was the official host for the second tournament of the 2021 EDGA European Tour season and he lived up to his headliner billing with a dominant performance from start to finish.

Having carded a three-under-par 67 at Massereene on the opening day, the Louth man delighted the fans at Galgorm with another superb three-under-par 67.

His six-under-par total gave him a six-stroke victory over Italy’s Tomasso Perrino, who also finished runner-up to Lawlor at the EDGA Cazoo Open two weeks ago.

“It was an unbelievable day,” said Lawlor, who has Ellis-Van Creveld syndrome, a disability characterised by a shorter stature and shorter limbs.

“The last two weeks have been incredible. The European Tour, ISPS HANDA, Modest! Golf. I have to thank them for giving us a chance to showcase the wonderful game.”