Robert MacIntyre wins Scottish Open after sprinkler drop controversy

That’s how you take advantage of a break.

Robert MacIntyre was able to move his ball out of the thick rough on the 16th hole during the final round of the Scottish Open on Sunday after it was ruled he would have to stand on a sprinkler head to hit his shot.

MacIntyre was able to take a drop and proceeded to hit a brilliant 248-yard shot to 7 feet, make the eagle putt and tie Adam Scott for the lead before birdieing the 18th for an epic comeback win at the Scotsman’s national open.

Some on social media thought the ruling was unfair as it is extremely unusual for a sprinkler head to be buried under so much rough.

“If Bob MacIntyre goes on to win the Scottish Open it will be a disgrace,” one user wrote. “To get a drop from a sprinkler in the thickest rough on the golf course shouldn’t sit right with anyone. He didn’t even know it was there prior to stamping on it during a practice swing. Shameful.”

MacIntyre himself was unaware of the sprinkler head until he stepped on it during a practice swing and was only able to feel it because he was wearing metal spikes.

But he conferred with his caddie and an official before dropping it.

Robert MacIntyre not ready for his storybook Scottish Open ‘wave’ to end

MacIntyre acknowledged the magnitude of the break but said he was playing within the rules.

“I’m shouting and I’m swearing when I’m getting up to the ball because I know that that’s my chance to really make birdie coming in,” the 27-year-old said, according to NBC Sports. “I got over the ball, looked at it, thinking, I’m in a bit of trouble here. Might manage to move it maybe a hundred yards. As I took a step back, obviously there was no high rough where it would tangle the club.

“So I could take the practice swing, like a foot, foot and a half from the ball, and just a step back. I just heard the clunk; I’ve got spikes on the front three of my shoes, not on my shoe as spikes, but just the front three studs as metal spikes, and I was like, no way. I’ve got a sprinkler underneath my foot. Obviously the plastic spikes at the back, you don’t feel it….It was just a lucky break. You use the rules to get advantage. You stand on a sprinkler, you’re due relief. That was just the one kiss I needed.”

MacIntyre became the first Scot to win the Scottish Open since Colin Montgomerie in 1999 at Loch Lomond.

Next week is the big one — the British Open, the final major of the year across Scotland at Royal Troon, where the last British player to win was just over a century ago.

“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.”

Adam Scott hopeful entering British Open after crushing loss to Robert MacIntyre

The lefty from the tiny coastal town of Oban won for the second time this year, also capturing the Canadian Open — the fourth-oldest championship in golf — last month.

He goes to No. 16 in the world, new territory for the son of a greenskeeper who feels he has had to work for everything he has.

“A lot of people have said, ‘He doesn’t quite have this, he doesn’t quite have that.’ But I have fight,” MacIntyre said. “That’s all I need.”

MacIntyre atoned for a tough ending last year at The Renaissance Club when he hit a 3-wood in tight for birdie on the last hole, only to lose out when Rory McIlroy drilled a 2-iron from 201 yards into the wind to set up the winning birdie.

Scott, who closed with a 67, was in the scoring room watching on television when MacIntyre made the winning putt.

He was on the verge of ending four years without a victory. He took solace from how he played in his first time contending this year.

“Feel like I’m playing at a high level,” he said. “And you know, pleased for Bob. This is a big win. I played with him yesterday, and you can hear them singing. I think that’s awesome for him.”

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Ludvig Aberg fell back on a chilly day with a fresh wind. The Swede, who started the day with a two-shot lead, played the par 5s in 2-over par after having played them in 9 under the previous three rounds.

His chances ended when he flubbed a chip from just short of the 16th green.

Scott bounced back from a double bogey on the eighth hole — it took him three chips to stay on the green — by holing a bunker shot on No. 9.

The former Masters champion hit it stiff on the par-3 14th and rolled his putt from well off the green at the 16th to tap-in range for birdie.

MacIntyre was three shots back, playing in the group behind Scott, when his fortunes turned with a 40-foot birdie putt on the 14th. He twice had to make 4-foot putts for par after ramming birdie chances too hard.

Aaron Rai also had reason to celebrate. After close calls the previous two weeks on the PGA Tour, the Englishman closed with a 63 to tie for fourth, earning one of the three final spots in the British Open next week.

Alex Noren of Sweden and Richard Mansell of England got the other two spots, bringing the field to 159 players. It’s the first time since 1995 that the British Open has gone over 156 players, which it can handle because of the long daylight hours.

McIlroy closed with a 68 and tied for fourth, his first appearance since he lost a late lead in the U.S Open last month at Pinehurst No. 2.

— With AP

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