A week on from playing his part in Europe’s dramatic Ryder Cup win in New York, Robert MacIntyre became the first Scotsman in 20 years to lift the Alfred Dunhill Links title.
MacIntyre, who took one and a half points from a possible three at Bethpage Black, secured victory with a round of 66 to finish 18 under for the weekend.
In second place was Tyrell Hatton, the man who holed the winning putt to down the United States last Sunday, finishing four shots back after going seven under on the day.
Victory for MacIntyre saw him follow in the footsteps of Colin Montgomerie, the last Scotsman to take home this trophy in 2005, and pick up a fourth DP World Tour success.
Having partied the night away with his European team-mates, MacIntyre was struggling to imagine topping that explosion of emotion.
“It’s brilliant but I don’t know how I’m going to celebrate after the celebrations we had last Sunday… but we’ll try our best,” he said.
“It’s a beautiful end to a good week. I’ve done everything against the book this week. I only pitched up here on Wednesday and had 12 holes…the diet has not been good this week and I’ve eaten plenty of takeaways, fish and chips and plenty of others.
“But sometimes when you least expect it, things happen.”
The Oban native, who won the Scottish Open in 2024, hit matching rounds of 66 at Kingsbarns and Carnoustie and made it a hat-trick as he went six under again at the historic Old Course at St Andrews.
With the effects of Storm Amy wiping out Saturday’s play, the field was left to fight out a reduced 54-hole finish.
MacIntyre set his stall out early with a birdie three on the first hole and was four under at the turn. His iron play was immaculate and his putting solid as he refused to give up the momentum, with a pinpoint approach from the rough on 13 showing he was not going to make room at the top.
A solitary bogey on the 17th and a missed birdie putt on 18 prevented him lowering his winning mark even further but he had already done enough.
Hatton’s charge was coming slightly too late and South African Richard Sterne, who held a share of the lead at the beginning of the day, lost touch as he finished 13 under. That was still good enough for third place with England’s John Parry.
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