Native son Robert MacIntyre narrowly wins golf’s Scottish Open

NORTH BERWICK – Robert MacIntyre has reason to celebrate, and not even a huge event on the horizon is going to stop him from soaking in what happened on July 14.

MacIntyre birdied the final hole to win his national championship, the Scottish Open, in North Berwick.

“I wanted the Scottish Open,” he said. “The crowd has been unbelievable.”

MacIntyre, who was clearly the fan favourite at The Renaissance Club, shot a three-under 67 and finished at 18-under 262. That gave him a one-shot victory over Australia’s Adam Scott, who also posted 67 and had a two-shot lead when he finished his round earlier in the day.

MacIntyre, a left-hander who won June’s Canadian Open, was three shots back with five holes to go, but he had time to catch up.

He used an eagle on the par-five No. 16 – aided by a free drop before his second shot because of a sprinkler head – to make his move and then finished it with a putt from about 22 feet on No. 18.

MacIntyre would love to have another victory on home soil at this week’s British Open at Royal Troon Golf Club; having revelled in becoming the first Scottish golfer to win his home event since Colin Montgomerie in 1999.

“Next week is a new week, but I tell you, I’m going to celebrate this with my family, friends and everyone here,” MacIntyre said. “I’m going to celebrate this one hard. We’ll pitch up to The Open when we pitch up to The Open.”

Scott, who turns 44 on July 16, was bidding for his first victory since the Genesis Invitational in February 2020. He had only one top-10 finish in his first 14 PGA Tour outings this season – joint-eighth in February at the Phoenix Open.

“It’s hard to complain about anything,” Scott said. “I mean, really, it’s the first time I’ve been in contention this year.”

Even with two bogeys and a double bogey, Scott looked to be in solid position. He notched birdies on three of the five par-threes in the final round.

The Scottish Open is the first of two tournaments co-sanctioned by the PGA Tour and DP World Tour. France’s Romain Langasque (64) was third at 15 under.

Sweden’s Ludvig Aberg, the third-round leader, slumped to 73 and shared fourth place at 14 under. Northern Ireland’s Rory McIlroy (68), the 2023 champion, and England’s Aaron Rai (63), with the fourth-best score in the final round, also finished at 14 under, along with Collin Morikawa (69), Sahith Theegala (69) and South Korea’s Im Sung-jae (69).

In Kentucky, England’s Harry Hall chipped in for birdie on the third play-off hole and won the ISCO Championship on July 14 at Keene Trace Golf Club in Nicholasville.

Hall, 26, captured his first PGA Tour victory in dramatic fashion at the end of a five-man play-off. He went out with Matt NeSmith, Zac Blair, Pierceson Coody and the Philippines’ Rico Hoey after the quintet tied for first at 22-under 266.

Meanwhile, Tiger Woods arrived at Royal Troon on July 14 and played an 18-hole practice round as he prepares for the British Open.

Reports said Woods took an overnight flight and spent much of his day focusing on chipping, putting and bunker play.

According to PGATour.com, Woods is also scheduled for a solo practice round on July 15 and a July 16 round with Max Homa and Justin Thomas. REUTERS, AFP