MacIntyre turns sights to major win after Alfred Dunhill Links victory
Robert MacIntyre celebrates his win in the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship. Picture: Getty
Ryder Cup star Robert MacIntyre insists his goal now is to win a major after he completed a dream fortnight by ending a 20-year wait for a home winner in the 54-hole Alfred Dunhill Links Championship at St Andrews.
Just a week after Europe's dramatic victory at Bethpage Black, the Scot (29) closed with a six-under 66 on the Old Course to win his fourth DP World Tour title by four shots from Tyrrell Hatton on 18-under-par (€696,437).
“Just delighted to get it over the line,” said MacIntyre, who won the Scottish Open last year and this season finished second in the US Open in June.
“It's a bit of a strange day, obviously, with everyone finishing on different golf courses. But look, any time you can win at the Home of Golf is special, and yeah, such a prestigious event, just delighted to get my name on there."
It was a memorable win for the Scot, whose preparations were minimal after a draining Ryder Cup week.
"I've done everything against the book this week, from preparation, I pitched up Wednesday afternoon,” added the Scot, who became the first Scottish winner of the event since Colin Montgomerie in 2005.
"I know the golf courses. Played 12 holes on Wednesday. The diet has not been good this week, I can confirm that.
"I've eaten plenty of takeaways, fish and chips, plenty of others. But sometimes when you are least expecting it, things happen.”
As for his next big goal, he said: “It's no secret now. A major championship is what I need or what I want…
"I know I've got the game. It's now just about piecing it all together, and I’ve got Augusta next year to give it a go again.”
Holywood's Tom McKibbin closed with a four-under 68 at Kingsbarns to tie for 15th on 10 under and move up to 57th in the Race to Dubai with the top 50 qualifying for the season-ending DP World Tour Championship.
Only the top 115 in the Race to Dubai will keep their cards, and while Conor Purcell moved up to 146th after a closing 70 at Kingsbarns left him tied for 32nd on eight under, he has just three events remaining.
As Pádraig Harrington tied for 71st on four under after a 72 on the Old Course, JP McManus' son-in-law Cian Foley (7 handicap) teamed up with Australia's Harrison Crowe to win the Pro-Am by a shot from Jack Senior and Dermot Desmond's son Dery (5) on 33-under par.
On the LPGA Tour, Stephanie Meadow clinched her best finish since the 2024 Olympics when she tied for 59th behind Korea's Youmin Hwang in the LOTTE Championship in Hawaii.
Hwang birdied five of her last six holes to win her maiden LPGA title by a shot on 17 under as Meadow shot 74 to finish on level par and bank $7,547.
