The evergreen Australian had looked on course to pick up another big win two days before his 44th birthday as he led the prestigious pre-Open event at the Renaissance Club in North Berwick on Sunday, two shots clear with MacIntyre having just three to play.
But just as the Queenslander was dreaming of his first win since the Genesis Invitational in February 2020, European Ryder Cup player McIntyre enjoyed a moment of good fortune that altered the complexion of the tournament.
The Scot drove into heavy rough on the par-5 16th, in such a bad spot that he couldn’t even see his golf ball, but after taking a practice swing, discovered he was standing on a sprinkler head near his ball.
So he was allowed a free drop and then fired a glorious approach from 247 yards to within six feet of the pin, rolling in the eagle putt to join Australia’s former Masters champion on 17-under.
Scott, who went on to set the target after a closing three-under-par 67, a roller-coaster round that had featured seven birdies, a double bogey and two bogeys, then had to watch and wait anxiously as MacIntyre went down the last.
There was, however, no fortune in the way the 27-year-old closed out victory, as he sank a 22 foot birdie putt on the final green to win by one shot from Scott, who was two shots clear of third-placed Frenchman Romain Langasque.
Robert MacIntyre hoists the silverware of his national open aloft. PHOTO: Getty Images.
“I think I lost my voice with the scream on that hole. I thought I was short,” said an emotional MacIntyre.
“I’ve put a lot of work into this. I’ve changed a lot within the team and I’ve just worked hard. I wanted the Scottish Open.
“I’m going to celebrate this one hard.”
The man from the little Scottish coastal town of Oban has long made it clear that winning his home Scottish Open would mean almost as much to him as grabbing a major.
Next week he will be off to Troon for The Open where he will be among the favourites to lift the Claret Jug – but on this evidence, Scott will also be in good shape to launch another assault on the title he’s always wanted to win most.
It’s the trophy that so cruelly eluded him in the 2012 edition at Royal Lytham and St Annes when he blew what seemed an unassailable lead on the home stretch.
On Sunday, he was in fine form as he pushed himself into a position to win the 41st title of his distinguished career.
Adam Scott fell agonisingly short of breaking his four-year win drought. PHOTO: Getty Images.
A double-bogey on the 8th hole when it took him three chips to stay on the green looked to have spelt disaster for his chances, but he bounced back by holing a bunker shot on the next hole.
Then he hit one close at the par-3 14th and looked to be in control of the the tournament when his long putt well off the green at the 16th set up a tap-in birdie.
But leftie MacIntyre, who was denied the title 12 months ago by Rory McIlroy’s similarly stunning finish, produced one of his own to win the day.
