Trailing Adam Scott by two shots on the par-5 16th at the Genesis Scottish Open, Robert MacIntyre hit his tee ball into impossibly thick heather in the right rough.
His practice swing for his second shot took with it a massive clump of grass. It also revealed to him that he was standing on a sprinkler head.
MacIntyre was awarded a free drop – into a far more advantageous lie – and then hit a 6-iron from nearly 250 yards to within 6 feet of the hole.
248 YARDS TO 6 FEET. 🤯
— Golf Channel (@GolfChannel) July 14, 2024
After receiving a free drop from a sprinkler in the rough, Robert MacIntyre hits a STUNNING shot to set up eagle! #GenesisScottishOpen pic.twitter.com/aLdf8IHmAu
“I’m shouting and I’m swearing when I’m getting up to the ball because I know that that’s my chance to really make birdie coming in. I got over the ball, looked at it, thinking, I’m in a bit of trouble here. Might manage to move it maybe a hundred yards,” MacIntyre described after his round.
“As I took a step back, obviously there was no high rough where it would tangle the club. So I could take the practice swing, like a foot, foot and a half from the ball, and just a step back. I just heard the clunk; I’ve got spikes on the front three of my shoes, not on my shoe as spikes, but just the front three studs as metal spikes, and I was like, no way. I’ve got a sprinkler underneath my foot. Obviously the plastic spikes at the back, you don’t feel it.
“And I said to [caddie] Mike ... ‘When I get up to the golf ball, am I standing on that sprinkler?’
“And he’s laughing at me going, ‘yeah, yeah.’ It was just a lucky break. You use the rules to get advantage. You stand on a sprinkler, you’re due relief. That was just the one kiss I needed.”
The Scot, who has said this is the event he most wants to win, made the eagle putt to tie the Australian for the lead.
Scott, playing ahead, parred his final hole for a closing 67 to sit at 17 under, with MacIntyre having two holes to play.
The 27-year-old, buoyed by a raucous crowd, made a 5-footer for par at the 17th and then birdied the final hole, his putt dropping into the hole on its last revolution from 22 feet, for a thrilling victory.
UNBELIEVABLE. ROBERT MACINTYRE WALKS IT OFF AT THE SCOTTISH OPEN! 🏴
— Golf Channel (@GolfChannel) July 14, 2024
📺: CBS | #GenesisScottishOpen pic.twitter.com/V5XQ6m2ojy