- Author, Martin Watt
- Role, BBC Sport Scotland at The Renaissance Club
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Scottish Open final leaderboard
-18 R MacIntyre (Sco); -17 A Scott (Aus); -15 R Langasque (Fra); -14 L Aberg (Swe); R McIlroy (NI), C Morikawa (US), A Rai (Eng), S Im (Kor), S Theegala (US); -13 C Conners (Can), V Perez (Fra), A Noren (Swe), W Clark (US), R Mansell (Eng)
Selected others: -12 C Syme (Sco); -11 B Harman (US); -9 T Fleetwood (Eng); -8 M Fitzpatrick (Eng)
Emotional Robert MacIntyre vowed to “celebrate hard” after winning the “one I wanted” with a stunning Scottish Open triumph on home soil amid rapturous scenes.
The Scot, pipped to the title by Rory McIlroy’s brilliant birdie-birdie finish a year ago, was not to be denied this time as he staged a late surge to glory at the Renaissance Club.
MacIntyre – helped by a huge slice of luck on the 16th – gained four strokes in his closing five holes to post a three-under 67 that was capped by a title-winning birdie putt from 22 feet on the last.
That lifted the left-hander to 18 under, edging out Adam Scott by a shot after the Australian had set the target with a 67.
Frenchman Romain Langasque finished third on 15 under, with McIlroy and Ludvig Aberg a further shot back. Swede Aberg, who had led from the halfway stage, struggled to a closing three-over 73.
That landmark win was special for the 27-year-old but it paled in comparison to the elation of victory in front of a large and passionate home crowd, who belted out ‘Flower of Scotland’ after the winning putt dropped as MacIntyre let out a victory roar and revelled in the celebrations.
“I had a tear in my eye before I hit the putt,” he said. “I was getting emotional before I read the putt. I still I had a job to do.
“This was the one I wanted, and it was the one I got. I can’t believe it’s happened.”
He has another huge home engagement next – The Open at Royal Troon starting on Thursday – but MacIntyre was in no mood to temper the celebrations.
“How do I come down from this? I don’t think I will,” he added. “I think I’m just going to try to ride the wave.
“The Open means a lot to me but you’ve got to celebrate the good times because it doesn’t happen a lot.”
‘It was meant to be’
MacIntyre, who began the final round two shots back, was one over for the day through 13 before reigniting his challenge with a 40-foot birdie putt on the par-three 14th.
Then came the decisive stroke of fortune on 16. He drove into thick rough on the right but his ball landed near a sprinkler head, which he only discovered after standing on it.
Allowed a free drop, MacIntyre capitalised on the more favourable lie as he skelped an outrageous approach from almost 250 yards to tee up eagle.
“I got a bit of luck on 16 that you need to win golf tournaments,” said the Scot.
“I was shouting and swearing going up to the ball because I know it’s my one chance to really make birdie coming in.
“You use the rules to your advantage and I got lucky. It was meant to be.”
That eagle lifted him level with Scott, who had recovered emphatically from a double bogey on eight with four birdies and just one dropped shot, before MacIntyre produced the birdie he required at the last.
MacIntyre’s victory is his third on the DP World Tour, with the Scottish Open a co-sanctioned event, and he is the first home winner of the tournament since Colin Montgomerie at Loch Lomond 25 years ago.
Scott, who missed out on his first title in more than four years, said: “There was a lot of good stuff for me this week. It’s hard to complain about anything.
“It’s the first time I’ve been in contention this year. I’m pleased for Bob. This is a big win.”
English pair earn Open spots
Earlier, England’s Richard Mansell equalled the course record with a 61 to finish 13 under and secure a place in The Open.
He will be joined at Royal Troon by compatriot Aaron Rai, who shared fourth place on 14 under, with Sweden’s Alex Noren taking the other available spot.
Mansell made bogey on the second but bounced back in incredible style with 10 birdies, six of them on the back nine, to post a score that reinforced his belief “this game is just insane”.
“Believe it or not, I’ve been struggling with my game recently,” said the world number 221.
“You’re never as far away as you think you are. And I’m hoping that that can kind of kick-start my season now.”