A closing hole bogey in finding the ‘drink’ was not going to sour Bob MacIntyre’s ‘Unbelievable Year’ and after also an equal best season finish of ninth on the DP World Tour in Dubai.
MacIntyre was sharing third place in the year’s final event coming to the last but found the water guarding the green with his second shot and walking off with a bogey ‘6’ for an eventual share of seventh at nine-under in the DP World Tour Championship on the Earth Course at Jumeirah Estates.
The Oban lefty managed just four birdies but half as many bogeys to finish six shots adrift of now six-time DP World Tour No. 1 Rory McIlroy who, despite an opening hole bogey closed with a birdie to capture the event for a third time and be crowned No. 1.
UNBELIEVABLE YEAR, TWO FAIRY TALE s
Says top @robert1lefty @GlencruittenG ending 2024 #DPWT equal best 9⃣th #RaceToDubai season
Also just Euro 9⃣4⃣2⃣ shy of Euro m in #DPWT money
Read: https://t.co/3MX6JdWIJF
PGAT/DPWT
✅ @TOURMISS @Record_Sport (Bernie ) pic.twitter.com/2sV7jedaOJ
— Golf & Science News (@TOURMISS) November 17, 2024
And the tears flowed when McIlroy was asked his thoughts on joining the late, great Seve Ballesteros with six No. 1 season titles.
McIlroy said: “It means a lot. I’ve been through a lot this year, professionally, personally, it feels like the fitting end to 2024.
“I think everyone knows what Seve means to European golf and Ryder Cup players, European Ryder Cup locker room we have quotes of Seve we had shirts of Seve from ’95 in the last Ryder Cup he played … (wipes away tears) … he means so much to European golf and for me to be mentioned in the same breath I am very proud”.
Despite MacIntyre’s mishap at the last he can look back on the equal best season of his career after winning two PGA Tour titles, the RBC Canadian Open and the Genesis Scottish Open.
He said: “It’s been an unbelievable year. Two fairy tale victories to be honest with you. But you forget about them when you’re trying to play a golf tournament, and just now, I couldn’t really care about those two wins. But when I sit down and reflect, they will be unbelievable wins.
“I’ve obviously played in the biggest events in the world. You can’t play in bigger events than I’ll be playing next year. I’m in a good position, if I play well, I should be in the Ryder Cup, and if I don’t, then I don’t deserve to be there”.
MacIntyre’s overall ninth place finish matches a similar standing he enjoyed in a DPWT winless 2021 season of 19 events and this year he’s matched that effort in nine less events, and capped by victory in the Genesis Scottish Open
There was some comfort for the Scot with his Euro 198,615 prize cheque sending his DPWT overall earnings to just Euro 942 shy of earning Euro 10m in DP World Tour earnings after his 130th event.
MacIntyre now will now enjoy a fortnight’s break before his closing event of the year and that will be for a maiden occasion in the December 5th commencing Tiger Woods hosted Hero World Challenge in The Bahamas.
Fellow Scot Ewan Ferguson was heading the short distance to his Dubai abode after ending his fourth full season 31st on the money list after a closing score of 70 for a four-under tally and a share of 19th.
And Connor Syme round out the event tied in 49th and last place in posting a 77 and end his year 51st on the Race to Dubai.
