Bob MacIntyre was three over after five holes and could never wrest back the initiative – Getty Images/Andy Lyons
There is no shame in finishing second to the winning machine that is Scottie Scheffler, but after conceding a four-shot lead in the final round of the BMW Championship on Sunday night, Scotland’s Bob MacIntyre confessed to feeling “really p—– off”.
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“Right now, I just want to go and smash up my golf clubs,” he added.
MacIntyre, 29, had expected so much more than a three-over 73 that dragged him back to 13 under. That allowed Scheffler to win by two after he compiled a 67, including a sumptuous chip-in birdie on 17 that all but sealed MacIntyre’s fate.
It was the world No 1’s fifth win of the season, a haul which, of course, includes two majors. Scheffler strides into the final event of the PGA Tour’s 2025 campaign – the Tour Championship that begins in Atlanta on Thursday – the overwhelming favourite to add another crown to his collection.
What most annoyed MacIntyre, apart from a few idiots in the galleries at the Caves Valley layout in Baltimore, was the manner in which he opened his round. He was three over for the day after five holes and, having allowed Scheffler to draw level, was always fighting a losing cause.
MacIntyre actually fared well to stick with Scheffler, but the nerveless Texan rarely affords his rivals second chances and was, once again, worthy of the £2.7m winning cheque. This was his 17th consecutive round under par and he attempted to account for his extraordinary run.
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“I think it has a lot to do with the intensity that I bring to each round,” Scheffler said. “I try not to take days off. I try not to take shots off. When it gets to this time of the year it can be a little bit tiring. Today was a grind, and I think it just has a lot to do with the intensity I bring to each round and each shot.”
It was another stellar week for Tommy Fleetwood, who finished in a tie for fourth – one behind Maverick McNealy in third – on 10 under. He experienced a bizarre momentum on the second, when his birdie putt stopped agonisingly shy of the hole.
However, as Fleetwood approached the ball it suddenly dropped and the replay showed it was given a helping hand by a fly. The insect had been on the ball as it stopped before moving to the other side of the ball, seemingly prompting it to rotate and fall into the cup.
Two shots further back in sixth came another Englishman in Harry Hall. The 28-year-old from Cornwall leapt into the top 30 in the FedEx Cup standings and so advances to East Lake for the first time. Hall has emerged as a dark horse for a Luke Donald wild card for the Ryder Cup.
The US qualifying race ended on Sunday night, with the top six automatics confirmed – Scheffler, JJ Spaun, Xander Schauffele, Russell Henley, Harris English and Bryson DeChambeau.
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Keegan Bradley, the American captain, will name his six wild cards for next month’s match in New York on Aug 27 and the brunt of the speculation will focus on whether he will select himself to become the first playing captain in more than 60 years. Bradley finished 11th in qualification.
