A year on from the dramatic defeat by Rory McIlroy, Robert MacIntyre has yet another opportunity to take hold of the title he has been coveting the most – the Genesis Scottish Open with a generous £7million prize pot. With a commendable third round performance of 63 at the Renaissance Club, MacIntyre managed to receive the lowest score of the day despite the unpredictable weather, placing him just two points behind his Ryder Cup team mate, Ludvig Aberg.
Aberg delivered a strong performance with rounds of 64 and a 65 consecutively, finishing with 17 under par. MacIntyre isn’t far behind, standing at 15 under, closely followed by ex-world number one, Adam Scott, lagging by a single point even after an impressive 64 which he scored while playing with the local favourite.
The reigning champion, McIlroy finds himself five points away from the lead after a less-than-satisfactory round of 67. While McIlroy’s day may have been less than satisfactory, a three-putt bogey on the final hole did little to dampen the spirits of MacIntyre, the left-handed golfer managed to score an eagle and seven birdies, catapulting him up the ranks amidst a highly supportive home crowd.
MacIntyre acknowledged the difficulty of the final hole but expressed satisfaction with his overall performance. Speaking about his gameplay, he shared “From tee to green, it was nothing short of brilliant. The putter was handled beautifully as well.” He further continued to stress on his ambition of securing the Scottish Open, stating “It’s no secret that I desire this title the most. It has been my goal from the beginning of the week. I want it prominently on my career record.” He highlighted his objective for the final round, stating he wants to control his game and not attempt to force a win.
McIlroy, the world’s second-ranked golfer, expressed his frustration that he could have been in a stronger position for the third successive day, after completing his first 10 holes with four under par. Despite this, his game slowed down – finishing with a streak of seven pars and a bogey on the final hole.
McIlroy confessed that “the birdies dried up,” and acknowledged his disappointment at missing several opportunities, especially in the last four holes. While he had the chance to score more birdies, he was unsuccessful in converting his shots, and ended up with a bogey. He felt he could’ve easily ended at 15-under par around the lead.
However, despite falling short, McIlroy remains optimistic, citing that being within three or four of the lead offers him a chance to start strong in the next round of the esteemed tournament.
McIlroy is also looking forward to ending a major title drought that dates back to 2014, at the Royal Troon Open which is lined up for the following week. McIlroy remained positive, assuring that he’s patient and prepared for the game, even though he’s focusing on the current week while also keeping in mind the next.
Despite the setback, Aberg made a comeback in the tournament. After a strong start with birdies on the first, third, sixth and 10th holes, he encountered a hiccup with bogeys on the 11th and 12th. Aberg bounced back with a long-range birdie on the 13th and claimed the lead with further shots on the 16th and 17th. Aberg, however, acknowledged it was not an easy game, but felt satisfied with his score.
Aberg, ranked fourth in the world, had failed to make the cut in the Scottish Open during his fifth professional event last year. So, this was quite a turn around for him.
My performance was solid, achieving the shots I aimed for. Despite bungling on the 11th and 12th holes, I recognise that it’s impossible to maintain perfection throughout a 72-hole tournament. So, these mishaps are somewhat inevitable.
However, I managed to keep my composure and pulled through to the end. Sinking a putt on the 13th gave me an additional rush of confidence and anticipation for the ultimate round. It appears I’ve been paired with Bob for the next game, which should prove to be an interesting match-up.