Robert MacIntyre admitted winning at the Old Course was a ‘dream come true’ as he became the first Scot in 20 years to win the Alfred Dunhill Links title.
The 29-year-old from Oban, who helped Europe triumph at the Ryder Cup just seven days previously, secured victory at St Andrews with a round of 66 to finish on 18 under par.
In second place, four shots behind, was Englishman Tyrrell Hatton, who holed the winning putt to beat the United States in New York last Sunday.
MacIntyre, the first home winner since Colin Montgomerie in 2005, said: ‘It’s brilliant but I don’t know how I’m going to celebrate after the celebrations we had last Sunday… but we’ll try our best.
‘It’s a beautiful end to a good week. I’ve done everything against the book this week. I only pitched up here on Wednesday and had 12 holes… the diet has not been good this week and I’ve eaten plenty of takeaways, fish and chips and plenty of others. But sometimes when you least expect it, things happen.’
This was a fourth DP World Tour success for the former Scottish Open champion, who dominated from the start of the final day as the weather finally played ball after Storm Amy reduced the tournament to 54 holes.
Robert MacIntyre lifts the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship trophy after a historic week
MacIntyre poses on the Swilcan Bridge after posting a final-round 66 at the Old Course
MacIntyre is the first home winner of the championship since Colin Montgomerie in 2005
MacIntyre had hit matching rounds of 66 at Kingsbarns and Carnoustie and made it a hat-trick as he went six under again at St Andrews.
He set his stall out early with a birdie three on the first and was four under at the turn. His iron play was immaculate and his putting solid as he refused to give up momentum. A pinpoint approach from the rough on 13 showed he was not going to make room at the top.
A solitary bogey on 17 and a missed birdie putt on 18 prevented him lowering his winning mark even further but he had already done enough.
Hatton’s charge was too late and South African Richard Sterne, who held a share of the lead at the start of the day, lost touch as he finished 13 under.
‘I had a job to do, bogeyed the 17th and then I missed a putt on the 18th,’ added MacIntyre, ‘but I kind of thought it was good enough and it was just a matter of waiting.
‘To win anywhere in the world is special. But for a Scotsman, I won the Scottish Open, to win at the Dunhill at the home of golf, there’s no other place you want to win. The only one that would potentially top this would be an Open championship at St Andrews. But this is a special, special win.’
MacIntyre is now setting his sights on winning a major after coming so close at the US Open this year.
He said: ‘If I play every major for the next 10 years, it’s 40 chances.
‘I’m hoping one of those times, I’m going to fall across the line. If I do it sooner rather than later, then we add to that. But I’ve got goals, I know I’ve got the game. It’s now just about piecing it all together.’
