MacIntyre wins Scottish Open with dramatic putt on 18th hole
Robert MacIntyre sank a 22-foot birdie putt on the 18th hole to win the Scottish Open by one stroke over Adam Scott.
He's the second player from Scotland to win the event, joining Colin Montgomerie who was victorious in 1999, per PGA TOUR Communications.
GREAT SCOT!!! 🏴
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) July 14, 2024
@Robert1Lefty wins the @ScottishOpen with a roar heard across Scotland! pic.twitter.com/Fe20zt6lcv
"I think I've lost my voice after the scream when that ball (went in), I thought it was short," MacIntyre said, per the DP World Tour. "Look, I've put a lot of work into this. ... I wanted the Scottish Open, and I've got the Scottish Open. The crowd's been unbelievable."
It was an eventful showing for MacIntyre on his home soil: He tied Scott for the lead with an eagle on the par-5 16th after a controversial free drop. The Scotsman initially hit his ball into the thick rough but discovered a sprinkler while taking a practice swing, allowing him to get some relief.
"Look, I got a bit of luck on 16. You need a bit of luck to win golf tournaments," MacIntyre said. "I couldn't believe when I took a practice swing that I heard a sprinkler underneath my foot where my spikes are, and I'm like, 'No way.' It was covered, I just thought, 'We've got lucky here.' It was meant to be."
| Place | Player | Total to par | Round 4 score |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Robert MacIntyre | -18 | 67 |
| 2 | Adam Scott | -17 | 67 |
| 3 | Romain Langasque | -15 | 64 |
| T-4 | Ludvig Aberg | -14 | 74 |
| T-4 | Aaron Rai | -14 | 63 |
| T-4 | Rory McIlroy | -14 | 68 |
| T-4 | Collin Morikawa | -14 | 69 |
| T-4 | Sungjae Im | -14 | 69 |
| T-4 | Sahith Theegala | -14 | 69 |
Scott was going for his 15th win on the PGA TOUR and first since the 2020 Genesis Invitational. He turns 44 on Tuesday and would have been the oldest winner on TOUR since Phil Mickelson claimed the 2021 PGA Championship at 50, according to The Athletic's Justin Ray.
Ludvig Aberg held a two-shot edge over MacIntyre after Saturday's action, but he faded in the final round after making four bogeys and just one birdie. The Swede posted back-to-back 64s on Thursday and Friday.
Rory McIlroy, meanwhile, enjoyed a top-five finish in his return to golf following a disastrous performance at the U.S. Open in June.
MacIntyre was the runner-up at last year's Scottish Open, falling to McIlroy by one stroke. Next up is the Open Championship at Royal Troon, but MacIntyre is focused on living in the moment for now.
"I'll tell you one thing, I'm gonna celebrate this with my family, friends, and everyone here," he said. "I'm gonna celebrate this one hard."
The 27-year-old won the Canadian Open in June for his first victory on the PGA TOUR.