You couldn’t script Robert MacIntyre’s story of redemption on the Genesis Scottish Open.
One yr after ending runner-up to Rory McIlroy on the Renaissance Club, MacIntyre went on a powerful tear down the stretch, taking part in his closing 5 holes in 4-under-par to high Adam Scott by a stroke.
His run to greatness started on the scenic par-3 14th, the place MacIntyre holed a 41-footer for birdie to fireplace up the native crowd. His birdie there bought him to 15-under for the championship.
Then, two holes later, on the par-5 sixteenth—a gap he bogeyed one yr in the past—MacIntyre obtained an all-time break.
The Scotsman pulled his drive proper of the sixteenth fairway, and his ball nestled down in deep, gnarly tough—the fescue that usually offers links-style golf course its tooth and punishes anybody who hits it there.
A birdie seemed dire, and MacIntyre wanted one. At this juncture, MacIntyre trailed Scott by two, however saving par didn’t appear like a assure. Then MacIntyre felt a sprinkler head together with his golf footwear, so he referred to as over a guidelines official, who provided him free reduction.
MacIntyre took his drop, which gave him a way more favorable lie and the chance to go for the inexperienced in two. He pummelled his iron shot excessive into the air from 247 yards out, and his ball got here to relaxation six ft from the opening.
It was the shot of the tournament.
He then drained the eagle putt, which not solely fired up the Scottish crowd however put him in a tie with Scott atop the leaderboard. A two-putt par on the par-3 seventeenth adopted, after which extra drama ensured on the 72nd gap, a difficult 488-yard par-4 that performed downwind on Sunday.
MacIntyre bombed his tee shot down the precise facet of the golf green, giving him a great angle into the inexperienced, the place a right-side pin awaited him. He hit his method shot to 22 ft left of the opening, setting himself up for a comparatively benign birdie alternative.
:format(webp):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25530337/2162016984.jpg)
After wanting it over, the southpaw stepped up, hit his try on-line, and barely gave it the right velocity. His ball fell within the entrance facet of the opening, giving MacIntyre his long-awaited Scottish Open victory and sending the gang into an absolute frenzy.
The win offers MacIntyre his second profession victory on the PGA Tour and his second of the season. With his father caddying for him final month, MacIntyre took dwelling the RBC Canadian Open title, which means he now has two National Open titles in his trophy case. That win in Hamilton was emotional for a number of causes, as he not solely had his dad—a greenskeeper—looping for him, however MacIntyre had confronted loads of adversity throughout his first full season on the PGA Tour. He admitted to feeling lonely, struggling to acclimate to the American way of life whereas craving for extra days in his native Scotland.
But absolutely, MacIntyre won’t have any desolate sensations quickly. He will relish this victory for years to come back, as this one means as a lot as any.
Jack Milko is a golf employees author for SB Nation’s Playing Through. Be positive to take a look at @_PlayingThrough for extra golf protection. You can comply with him on Twitter @jack_milko as nicely.
