Robert MacIntyre led the first round of the Cyprus Shootout last Thursday but he knew it meant nothing unless he shot the low score on Sunday.
The second-year left-hander from Scotland did just that and his Sunday 64 got him that first European Tour victory.
A total of 19 players had a chance to win this over the final 18 as they all started at even par in this first-time format. By the final nine holes, 14 of the 19 still had a chance at victory.
But it was the young Scot who proved better than the rest over the finishing holes at Aphrodite Hills. Last seasons Rookie Of The Year came home with five birdies, two of them back-to-back on 17 and 18 to win by a shot over Japan’s Masahiro Kawamura. MacIntyre was tied for the lead at six-under with Kawamura, who was in the clubhouse at six-under par. MacIntrye unleashed a perfect 343-yard drive on that 510-yard par five finishing hole and left himself with just 156 yards in — a smooth eight-iron that stopped 16 feet from the cup. Easy two-putt for birdie and Mac had his first win in hand.
The 24-year-old was two-under at the turn and it looked like it would take no less than six-under to have a shot at victory. Birdies at 10 and 13 got him to four-under then at the par three 15th, he flirted with an ace as his tee shot stopped just inches from the cup for an easy tap-in birdie that got him to five-under. But the five-unders were put on notice when Kawamura birdied the 18th, his fourth on the final nine, to post six-under — a closing 65.
Mac tied him with birdie at 17 then played the final hole to perfect for 64 and victory.
“This is what I’ve been working for,” he said after he finished, tears forming in his eyes. “It’s been a difficult few months for me, only my family know what is going on. I can’t believe it.”
He admitted that he has struggled with the effects of the world-wide pandemic, as million have. Scotland was in a lockdown earlier this year with no European Tour events for four months. It was nothing like the youngster had ever experienced. “The first nine, ten weeks were fine,” he said. “I had things to do — I was trying to lose weight, become stronger, I had set myself goals. I was doing it alongside another person from my area and we were on Peloton almost every day, so there was a target. When that finished, there was nothing for us to do. I was like, ‘I’m wasting time, I’m wasting away here’ and I just started to struggle,” he explained.
“But everyone knows that my family are right behind me and the support that I get from them is huge. I spoke to my mum and she guided me in the right directions. I went to see Paul, a psychologist, who has helped me, helped me in a huge way. I was coming down the stretch there just knowing what to do – just take your time and be yourself.”
MacIntyre gave a preview of his good play last week when he finished in a tie for third on the same course.
On Sunday, he was what he was on day one — best player in the field.
Cyprus Shootout Scoreboard (Final 19):
