Scotland’s {golfing} hero Robert MacIntyre was topped king of the Alfred Dunhill Hyperlinks Championship on the enduring 18th inexperienced at St Andrews after taking route 66 to the title.
MacIntyre, the pleasure of Oban, received his fourth DP World Tour occasion and his second in Scotland precisely seven days after starring for Europe within the magnificent Ryder Cup victory in opposition to the US at Bethpage Black.
He mentioned: “It’s good, a particular win, and as a Scotsman there isn’t a different place I’d need to win greater than St Andrews. I’ve received a Scottish Open final yr, and now a Dunhill Hyperlinks right here – and in addition a Ryder Cup in between.
“The one factor that might high that is if I may win an Open Championship at St Andrews, so we’ll strive our greatest to have a good time it tonight. Undecided how we’re going to do this after the celebration we had in New York final Sunday, however it’s going to be good, particularly with household having travelled over to look at me play at this time.”
HOME FAVOURITE
With large house galleries cheering him each step of the best way across the Outdated Course, MacIntyre shot a six-under-par 66 – his third 66 of an occasion trimmed to 54 holes because of the persistent excessive winds that prompted Saturday’s scheduled third spherical to be cancelled.
MacIntyre is the primary Scottish winner of the Dunhill Hyperlinks since Colin Montgomerie in 2005 and solely the fourth Scot to expertise the joys of holding the trophy aloft on the House of Golf. Stephen Gallacher triumphed in 2004 and Paul Lawrie claimed the inaugural title in 2001.
Ever-popular Bob is now solely the second Scot after Montgomerie to win each the Alfred Dunhill Hyperlinks Championship and the Scottish Open. Montgomerie received his Scottish Open title in 1999.
“To have my identify on trophies that carry a number of the nice names in golf is actually one thing particular and as a child I used to look at occasions just like the Dunhill and dream of having the ability to play in them.
“And I’ve cherished to return to St Andrews. I’ve been coming right here with the household for years, typically simply to stroll on the seaside and to be within the city moderately than to play golf. However the entire place is golf heaven and I’ll at all times play right here each time there’s a match on.”
RUNNING ON FUMES
MacIntyre additionally joked about changing into Dunhill Hyperlinks champion after arriving again in Scotland “operating on empty” and with few expectations following the hype and strain of an away Ryder Cup.
“To be sincere I don’t understand how I’ve achieved it this week. I’ve achieved all the pieces in opposition to the guide. I got here right here simply eager to take pleasure in it and attempt to play nicely however I solely pitched up on Wednesday, performed simply 11 holes or so on the Outdated Course and have achieved all the pieces this week that I’d not have achieved in a standard week.
“And it’s not simply been no actual preparation, though clearly I do know the three programs nicely. My food plan has not been good both this week – I’ve eaten loads of fish and chips and different takeaways. Nor have I achieved any of my gymnasium work.”
MacIntyre picked out the second of his three 66s as the important thing to his victory, a tour de pressure at Kingsbarns to defy heavy rain and powerful winds that compelled play to be suspended simply after he had completed his spherical.
“All three rounds have been necessary, after all, however Kingsbarns was the spherical that would simply have gotten away from me,” he added. “I even shocked myself with that 66. It was unbelievable. I do know the extent that I can play at, however I do hold surprising myself at instances however to exit and do it this week and recover from the road this week could be very particular.”
MAJOR FOCUS
As for the longer term, subsequent April’s Masters at August is an enormous focus now for MacIntyre. “It’s no secret that it’s Main Championships now that I would like,” mentioned the world No 9.
MacIntyre received by 4 photographs from his fellow Ryder Cup hero Tyrrell Hatton, who shot a seven-under-par 65 at St Andrews to complete on 14-under-par.
One other Englishman, John Parry, was an additional stroke again on 13-under-par alongside South Africa’s Richard Sterne, whereas the opposite two members of Europe’s victorious Ryder Cup crew to play this week – Matt Fitzpatrick and Tommy Fleetwood – each completed on nine-under-par.
The Alfred Dunhill Hyperlinks Championship is a celebration of Hyperlinks golf, performed over the Outdated Course St Andrews, Carnoustie and Kingsbarns, three of the best Hyperlinks programs on the earth.
With a prize fund of US$5 million, the Alfred Dunhill Hyperlinks incorporates two separate competitions – an Particular person Skilled match for the world’s main golfers and the Staff Championship by which the professionals are paired with newbie golfers which creates a novel ambiance.
CELEBRITIES
Among the many celeb amateurs taking part in have been Michael Douglas, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Invoice Murray, Matthew Goode, Ronan Keating, Tom Chaplin, Dave Farrell, Mike Rutherford, Huey Lewis, Piers Morgan, Peter Jones, Andy Murray, Wayne Gretzky, Kelly Slater, Steve Redgrave, A.P. McCoy, Kevin Pietersen, Allan Lamb, Mark Nicholas, Michael Vaughan, Schalk Burger Jnr, Morné du Plessis and Rob Louw.
That is the fortieth yr that Alfred Dunhill has supported golf at St Andrews – first within the Alfred Dunhill Cup from 1985, then within the Alfred Dunhill Hyperlinks Championship from 2001. Throughout that point, many thousands and thousands have been raised for charity.
In June 2011 the Alfred Dunhill Hyperlinks Basis was established because the official Basis of the Alfred Dunhill Hyperlinks Championship. The Basis is dedicated to creating younger newbie golfers in Scotland and South Africa and in addition helps the College of St Andrews and the St Andrews Pilgrim Basis, which refurbishes and preserves historic monuments within the city.
For Reside Scoring click on right here for professional’s and right here for crew.
