Bob MacIntyre blew a four-shot lead in the final round as world No. 1 Scottie Scheffler produced a moment of magic to clinch victory at the BMW Championship in Maryland.
MacIntyre’s big overnight advantage was whittled to a single stroke after he started Sunday with two bogeys, and despite a gallant effort he could do nothing to quell the American’s mounting momentum.
Back within touching distance with two to play, MacIntyre watched as Scheffler nailed a remarkable chip from the rough to effectively confirm his victory on the penultimate hole.
It was hard to take for MacIntyre, who had produced his own memorable moment on the final hole on Saturday when he sunk a 41-foot putt to retain his significant advantage.
Seeking the win that would have sealed his place in Europe’s Ryder Cup team, MacIntyre made a nightmare start on Sunday but Scheffler too was far from perfect, a missed putt restoring the Scot’s two-stroke lead after three.
The American hauled level on five after MacIntyre found a bunker on his approach shot, and Scheffler looked to be in irresistible form as he moved two clear on the 13th.
MacIntyre reduced the deficit again but the 15th proved pivotal as the Oban man failed to capitalise on Scheffler finding a bunker with approach shot, a missed birdie putt handing the momentum back to the American.
After Scheffler’s uproarious response on the 17th, MacIntyre failed to respond with more final hole magic and putted out for a three-over-par final round of 73, two shots off Scheffler’s 15-under-par total of 265.
“He’s hit a great shot,” MacIntyre said of Scheffler’s pyrotechnics at the 17th. “Nothing you can do with that. I just didn’t play good enough.
“I got off to an absolutely horrific start. I just expected jumpers on one and two. One, it’s come out dead and then it’s got a massive mud ball just short of the green.
“I just felt great going out today. I wasn’t even expecting to be over par, to be honest. I was really expecting to go out there, foot down, and perform the way I have the last couple days.”
A final round of 67 shunted Tommy Fleetwood up to a tie for fourth place behind American Maverick McNealy, but Harry Hall, who started Sunday tied for fourth, fell away with a disappointing 70 to finish in sixth place.
Rory McIlroy was hampered by back-to-back double bogeys on the fifth and sixth holes respectively as he failed to make inroads on the chasing pack, matching Hall’s final round of 70 to finish down in a tie for 12th.
