Rory McIlroy produced a brilliant birdie-birdie finish to seal his second consecutive Rolex Series title at the Genesis Scottish Open.
The now World Number Two entered the final round with a one-shot lead but on a dramatic day in high winds at The Renaissance Club, it was home hero Robert MacIntyre who threatened to seal a fairytale win.
The Scot played a stunning approach to the last to card a 64 and lead by one at 14 under but four-time Major winner McIlroy put his tee-shot to five feet on the 17th to share the lead.
The 34-year-old then produced some closing magic of his own, putting his approach to 11 feet and nervelessly holing his putt to sign for a 68 and seal a remarkable one-stroke victory.
“It’s amazing,” said the Northern Irishman.
“For the Race to Dubai, for the FedEx Cup, for my confidence in general, but for all those things that I talked about at the start of the week and trying to win the title on both sides of the Atlantic again this year, this, will go a long way.”
McIlroy’s first victory on Scottish soil now goes alongside the Hero Dubai Desert Classic title he claimed in January in his Rolex Series collection and takes his tally of DP World Tour victories to 16.
He also becomes the first player to win the Scottish Open, Irish Open and Open Championship the week before he goes in search of a fifth Major at Royal Liverpool, where he lifted the Claret Jug for the first time in 2014.
World Number One Scottie Scheffler, South Korean Byeong-hun An and Swede David Lingmerth finished in a tie for third at ten under, with An, Lingmerth and Dane Nicolai Højgaard – who finished a shot further back – all earning spots in the field at next week’s Open Championship.
Lingmerth closed with a 66 and Scheffler and An both carded 70s to finish a shot ahead of Tyrrell Hatton, Højgaard, Tommy Fleetwood, Tom Kim and JT Poston.
There was some consolation for MacIntyre who was awarded the Jock MacVicar AGW Memorial Award as the leading Scot.
