Conditions on Sunday at the Genesis Scottish Open were tough, with gusts and winds giving those on the golf course a proper links test. On a day where level-par was a good score, it was home favourite Robert MacIntyre who excelled, with the Scot firing an incredible round of 64, which included a shot of the year contender at the 72nd hole.
Not to be outdone, Rory McIlroy not only produced a stunning iron shot on the 17th, which set him up for a birdie to pull alongside MacIntyre, but a crisp two-iron on the next, from a poor lie, set up yet another birdie opportunity which, as it turned out, was the pivotal blow for his Scottish Open success.
During the final day's play just one birdie had been made at the 18th hole, with the vicious winds playing havoc. Such was the difficulty, it was playing at +0.63 and, given that the tension of being in contention would be high, it makes these shots all the more special.
We begin with MacIntyre, who not only had the pressure of the home crowd on his back but, at the time, was in a share of the lead with four-time Major winner, McIlroy. What's more, the Scot sprayed his tee shot miles offline to the left with it eventually resting in the thick rough.
Faced with 213-yards to go, with the swirling wind making club selection very difficult, the 26-year-old stepped up and struck a crisp wood which shaped perfectly towards the flag. Landing on the centre of the green, the ball rolled to just three-feet with CBS's Jim Nantz blaring out the words: "What a shot!" Followed by: "One of the best shots of the year in golf, right there!"
Regaining his composure, MacIntyre managed to roll in the birdie putt at the 72nd hole, with the Scot visibly emotional as he left the green in tears to a standing ovation from the home crowd.
Now, all he could do was wait in the clubhouse and watch McIlroy over his last few remaining holes and, such was the calibre of play on show at The Renaissance Club, inevitably McIlroy managed to pull level with a great birdie on the par 3 17th.
Pounding his driver off the final tee, McIlroy found the left side of the fairway but his ordeal wasn't finished there, especially when it came to rest in a divot. Unsure on club choice, he opted for a two-iron from just over 200-yards and, once struck, you could tell he loved every moment of it.
Coming to rest past the flag, it seemed that McIlroy was up-and-out of his putt quickly, but the ball managed to hold its line and drop for just the third birdie on the day at the 18th. One of the others to make a birdie? MacIntyre!
