Knock knock. Who’s there? Robert MacIntyre joint runner-up in the Betfred British Masters.
The Oban lefty, and thanks to a game of ‘Knock, Knock’ before he went to bed, has brilliantly taken a huge step in wrapping-up next season’s Tour card with a gusty share of second in the British Masters.
MacIntyre, 22 muscled with way into a four-way share of the lead finishing eagle, birdie in a round of 68 before having the chance at a play-off snatched from him by the similar aged Swede Marcus Kinhult.
The rookie Scot along with the England duo of defending champ, Eddie Pepperell (66) and overnight leader Matt Wallace (71) were tied at 15-under par, and after Wallace missed his birdie putt on the last from 12-feet.
Scotland’s Robert MacIntyre finishes eagle, birdie to finish joint second at the British Masters (Photo – Euyropean Tour/Gettys)
Kinhult then stepped-up to sink his birdie attempt from some seven-feet to claim victory in a score of 70 for a 16-under par victory total.
The Swede arrived at Hillside for a ninth event of his season but having missed the halfway cut in six including the last four and with prize earnings of £stg 47,000 this season. In capturing a first Tour title Kinhult pocketed a cool £ 1/2m.
MacIntyre earned a £stg 225,000 cheque and around £100,000 less than he’s earned in his prior 12 main Tour events this rookie year, and with his Hillside showing lifting the former Scottish Boys, Youths and Scottish Amateur champ to 36th on the Race to Dubai.
He said: “I had my family down for the week, including my young brothers Tom and Dan, and they have helped keep me on my toes.
“Last night I wasn’t even thinking about winning a golf tournament but before we went to bed, we’re having a game of ‘knock, knock’.
“Then as I am standing over the eagle putt on 17, I was closing my eyes and thinking ‘knock, knock’. It helps with everything.”
Also, MacIntyre has also promised to now buy a much-needed new kitchen for his mother with part of winings.
He said: “I said to my mum that she could order a new kitchen but she’s not done that yet.
“I’m sure she’ll be in with both feet now and the price had probably just doubled. She can get what she wants (smiling).”
MacIntyre headed into the last day trailing three shots off the lead and looked to have soured any chance of a maiden Tour victory in doubling the par-5 second hole.
He steadied with birdies at four, 10 and 15th ahead of holing a 10-footer for his eagle on the 17th to be five-under on the hole for four rounds.
MacIntyre then drew huge applause in birdieing the last to tie Pepperell, Wallace and Kinhult, who had birdied 17, in the lead and minutes ahead of Kinhult ending birdie, birdie.
MacIntyre said: “That was good. It was really good, in fact. The double bogey at the second helped me in a way as it settled me down. It made me think, ‘you are almost out of it here so just go on and play your own golf’.
“My caddie Greg [Milne] said to me as we were walking off the green that there were loads of birdies out there, something my coach, Davy [Burns] had also said it before I went out that it didn’t matter how far I was in to the round that there birdies around every corner.
“To finish that way was fantastic. I had to go for it in the end – it was all or nothing. We were between clubs at 17 but that wind suited us. That’s the best shot I’ve hit in a long time.
“I had been there or thereabouts but never managed to get in the thick of it and I was disappointed about that. Today couldn’t have been a better day to change that, playing with Tommy and in front of those big crowds.
“It was really good playing in front of those crowds – it was brilliant.”
It was Richie Ramsay who headed the final round Tartan charge but the 36-year old fell from contention taking a double at two and then a bogey at four.
Ramsay did regroup with birdies at the eight and 12 but the damage had been done as he looked to end a near five-year winless drought.
There was one bright moment for Ramsay when is birdie putt at the last looked set to miss right but it hung on the edge of the cup, and then much to the Scot’s delight, his ball fell into the ‘side door’.
His round of 72 handed Ramsay fifth place at 12-under par.
Fellow Scots Connor Syme (71) and Liam Johnston (74) were just outside the top-40 at four-under par.
Two shots further back were Scott Jamieson (74) while North Berwick’s Grant Forrest (74) finished at one-under
