Robert MacIntyre reaped the rewards of a patient performance as he recorded his third top-10 finish in a major in the US PGA Championship.
MacIntyre went into the final round in Valhalla three shots off the lead alongside Ryder Cup partner Justin Rose, but was unable to find the birdies required to stay in contention in a Sunday shootout.
But the left-hander ended the week in style as he came close to making an albatross on the par-five 18th before holing from 10 feet for eagle and a closing 70.
“It was a great week,” said MacIntyre, who finished in a tie for eighth with world number one Scottie Scheffler, Billy Horschel and Justin Thomas.
“First time I feel like I’ve really been in a major championship going into a final round. I didn’t quite have my best stuff today, but it was solid in the stuff that I’ve been working on, and more personally and almost emotionally, it really worked.
“I stayed patient, kind of got my reward, and it’s just so pleasing to see that I can stay in the fight and you don’t know what can happen at the end. I got my reward.”
MacIntyre has made no secret of the fact he has struggled to adapt to playing on the PGA Tour this season, but has benefited hugely from a three-week spell back in Scotland.
“I just feel like I’m chasing my tail all the time out here because we’re not in the big events, so you’ve got to play when you get the chance, and it’s difficult to do that when you put the clubs away for a few weeks and not touch them,” he added.
“But I’m on good form, good things are happening within my game and my team around me have been brilliant and just keep moving forward and keep wanting to go forward.”
