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 the thought of becoming the first Scottish golfer to win the 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, 44 on July 16, was bidding for his first victory since the Genes.
