IT wasn’t to be for Robert MacIntyre in terms of claiming the PGA Championship this weekend.
The Scots golfstar, 27, was in contention for the Wanamaker Trophy going into Sunday’s final round at Valhalla but came up short as Xander Schauffele took the victory.
But it didn’t stop the Oban native from taking home a whopping pay packet worth over £400,000 – thanks to ONE crucial shot.
The Ryder Cup hero was sitting on 11-under par as he teed off at the last hole at the Kentucky venue.
If he’d maintained that score with a par, it would have seen him finish in a tie for 18th.
With that came a healthy cheque for $230,764 (£181,627).
But MacIntyre dramatically EAGLED the final hole to jump into the top ten and a placing of tied-eighth.
His winnings more than DOUBLED thanks to that, increasing to $521,417 (£410,000).
It saw him leapfrog the likes of Rory McIlroy, Alex Noren and Sahith Theegala (who all finished on 12-under par) on the leaderboard for a final score of 13-under par.
After finding the fairway on 18, MacIntyre hit a hybrid at the green and his shot only narrowly missed the hole for what would have been a stunning albatross.
But his attempt with the rescue club remained close enough to the cup to allow him to sink a putt for eagle and card a final round of 70.
Not only does MacIntyre leave the Bluegrass State with a boost to his bank balance, he has risen from 84th to 75th in the world rankings and will automatically qualify for next year’s championship at Quail Hollow in Charlotte, North Carolina, thanks to him finishing inside the top 15.
He said: “All the hard work and sacrifice is worth it for weeks and days like yesterday. Wasn’t to be but lots of positives. Thanks for all the support.”
MacIntyre tied for sixth and eighth at the Open Championship in 2019 and 2021 and was runner-up to McIlroy in last year’s Scottish Open.
With under two months to go until The Open Championship returns to Scotland at RoyalTroon, Scottish golfing legend Colin Montgomerie believes MacIntyre will be in the winners’ circle soon and he could be a threat at the upcoming major.
He said (via the BBC): “Let’s hope that his performance in this particular major gives him a real boost and feel that he belongs.
“His record in the Open is good and I think this will give him a huge confidence boost to go forward now in America and go and contend to win.”
Schauffele carded a six-under par 65 to edge out Bryson DeChambeau for the title and claim his maiden major.
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