Robert MacIntyre kept the good times rolling with a brilliant four-shot victory at the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship — his second professional win on home soil — just a week after helping Team Europe lift the Ryder Cup at Bethpage Black.
The Scotsman, who contributed 1½ points from his three matches in New York, carded a sparkling six-under-par 66 on the Old Course at St Andrews to finish on 18 under par, clear of Ryder Cup teammate and defending champion Tyrrell Hatton. The win is his fourth DP World Tour title and moves him up to 6th on the Race to Dubai Rankings in Partnership with Rolex, putting him firmly in the mix as the season heads into its final stretch.
Flying Start, Strong Finish
MacIntyre arrived at the Home of Golf off the back of two consecutive 66s at Carnoustie and Kingsbarns, which left him tied for the 36-hole lead with South Africa’s Richard Sterne on 12 under par. With Saturday’s play washed out, the event was shortened to 54 holes, setting up a Sunday shootout on the Old Course.
The 29-year-old wasted no time taking control — birdies at the 1st, 4th, 5th and 7th saw him surge into a three-shot lead at the turn. Three more gains on the inward half all but sealed the deal, with a single bogey — just his third of the week — the only blemish on an otherwise textbook performance around the links.
Hatton, chasing a record-extending fourth Dunhill title, closed with a 65 to take solo second at 14 under, while John Parry joined Sterne in a tie for third after matching MacIntyre’s 66 at St Andrews.
A ‘Fish and Chips’ Victory
True to his laid-back style, MacIntyre admitted his preparation for the week was far from textbook.
“I pitched up Wednesday afternoon, played 12 holes, and the diet has not been good — plenty of takeaways, fish and chips,” he laughed. “But any time you can win a golf tournament on these shores is special. I played really nicely over the three days and managed to stay out of the pot bunkers, which is key round here.”
His relaxed approach clearly worked. Just seven days after celebrating Europe’s Ryder Cup triumph, MacIntyre found himself raising another trophy — this time in front of home fans at the Home of Golf.
“I don’t know how we’re going to celebrate after the celebration we had last Sunday,” he joked.
