Rory McIlroy hits longest drive but ‘one of greatest shots of my career’ seals Scottish Open title
Rory McIlroy launched the longest drive of his career – a whopping 427 yards – in the final round of the Genesis Scottish Open on Sunday. Yet it says so much about his extraordinary birdie-birdie climax that the monstrous fairway-splitter did not even rank in the top-two shots of his round as he won his first tournament in six months to send him into this week’s Open with self-belief overflowing.
Poor Bob MacIntyre had to look on in both awe and disappointment, as with birdies on the final two holes, McIlroy denied the 26-year-old from Oban not only the £1.2 million cheque and a guaranteed PGA Tour card, but also the pride of becoming the first Scottish winner of his national Open this century.
The partisan crowd were gutted, but then after McIlroy’s agonising defeat at the US Open last month, as well as so many other recent close calls, it might have been viewed as a rather refreshing change to see McIlroy as the heartbreaker.
So much for McIlroy not being able to produce when it matters in a tight finish. At the Dubai Desert Classic in January, he birdied the last to beat Patrick Reed in a classic duel with the LIV rebel and at the Renaissance Club he displayed even more steel to produce perhaps the gutsiest finish of his garlanded 15 years in the pro ranks.
With play brought forward by six hours because of forecasts of gusts upwards of 40mph, the conditions were still supremely testing and with 16 players within five shots of McIlroy’s one-shot overnight lead, the prediction was for a cavalry charge. But in the event it turned into a two-horse race in East Lothian, with four shots back to the group in third including world No 1 Scottie Scheffler.
Five behind after 54 holes, MacIntyre expressed his wish for the challenge to be “brutal” and so he responded to Mother Nature by reaching the last hole five-under for the day. His second on the 18th deserved the silverware all on its very own. From the rough on the left, MacIntyre hit a hybrid from 213 yards to three feet.
One of the top shots of the year!
Scotland's @Robert1Lefty just stuck it from 213 yards to 3 feet on the 72nd hole @ScottishOpen! pic.twitter.com/fVk7DWQbDP— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) July 16, 2023
With a 64, MacIntyre signed for a 14-under total and was one clear of McIlroy who was level par through the 16th. Despite his astonishing drive on the seventh and a 40-footer on the 14th, it seemed yet another runner-up placing beckoned.
“I told myself on the 17th tee, if I can somehow birdie one of these last two, I’ll get myself into a play-off,” McIlroy said, after a 68 to reach 15-under. “That’s all I was really hoping for.”
McIlroy plainly does not know his own majesty. On that penultimate 190-yard par-three he punched a five-iron to three feet and on the 18th, he drilled a two-iron from 202 yards to eight feet.
“Those are two of the best iron shots I can remember hitting, especially under the circumstances,” McIlroy said. “And that two iron on the last will always be up there as one of the best shots, period, of my career. I tried to say yesterday that I’ve improved as a wind player and those shots prove that.”
The relief for McIlroy – with, as he said “getting it done” – was obvious. “I’ve had my chances over the last couple of months and been knocking on the door,” he said. “Just haven’t quite been able to get over the line so hopefully this breaks the seal and we can go on from here.”
McIlroy goes on to Hoylake, where he lifted the Claret Jug the last time the Open was hosted at the Wirral links. If that is one promising omen, then so too is that fact that the more recent major he won – the US PGA a month after Hoylake – came after he had prevailed the previous Sunday.
“It’s a great shot of confidence,” he said. “If I find myself in a similar position next week, I can certainly draw on what I did here today; that I can get myself in the mix again.
McIlroy backs MacIntyre for Ryder Cup
McIlroy was typically gracious in victory, tipping MacIntyre for a spot in the Ryder Cup for September’s match in Rome. The win would have almost guaranteed him a place on Luke Donald’s team, but he has leapfrogged to third in the standings and will surely be worth of one of the six wildcards picks regardless
“If Bob can shoot 64 on a day like today, he can do anything,” McIlroy said. “I mean, that was an unbelievable round and it’s great to see him back in form, as well. He had the win in Rome last year, and then he went off a little bit, but it’s nice to see him back at an important point of the year when he’s looking to try to make that Ryder Cup.”
MacIntyre’s consolation was a cheque for £750,000 and with the Scottish Open a co-sanctioned event between the DP World Tour and PGA Tour, the left-hander’s biggest payday opens up tantalising opportunities on the US circuit.
“Rory said sorry to me afterwards, but he showed that he is the best player in the world and I take my hat off to him,” MacIntyre said. “For me I’ll never forget that reception on the 18th. I had to take a minute coming off that final green.
“That’s why I play this sport. I’ve dreamed of winning this tournament since I watched it as a boy. And I birdied 18, I thought, this might be the one. But it’s not to be just now. There’s plenty of years ahead and next week there is The Open. You could say I’m looking forward to that, yes.”
