Ex-Cowboy MacIntyre second at Open
Former McNeese golf Robert MacIntyre finished second Sunday at the U.S. Open. (Associated Press)
For 42 long minutes late Sunday afternoon, McNeese State was at the center of the storm in the golfing world.
As rain fell and the sun set on the Oakmont Country Club, former Cowboy Robert MacIntyre's star continued to shine brighter and brighter.
The Scottish golfer who honed his skills at McNeese sat drying out in the clubhouse while others faltered in the worsening weather conditions in Oakmont, Pa.
With each stroke on the course, MacIntyre was closer to his dream of winning the U.S. Open. What had seemed impossible six hours earlier was becoming probable.
'I thought I had this one, to be honest,' MacIntyre told Scottish reporters.
He was not alone. As others faltered, MacIntyre sat drying off in the clubhouse, tied for the lead after an amazing final round. He had started the day seven shots off the lead but fired a two-under 68 despite the conditions and a 97-minute rain delay that refueled his charge.
'I'm a guy that believes,' MacIntyre said. 'Having a chance to win a major is what I dreamed of as a kid.'
However, tied for the lead while sitting in the clubhouse, MacIntyre could only sit and watch as others controlled his destiny.
'I think when I was walking up 14 or 12, and I saw a leaderboard that the leader was at even par. I kind of knew where I was at, I was at 3-over, I think, at the time,' MacIntyre said. 'The whole week, I've said level par in my head. I'm just looking for four even pars. Almost got there, but not quite.'
That's because J.J. Spaun finished even stronger on the flooded golf course. He broke the tie by birding the final two holes, including hitting a 64-foot putt on the 18th green to capture the title.
Spaun ended the 72 holes two shots better than MacIntyre, who smiled and clapped when the final long putt found the bottom of the cup.
'Today was a day that I said to myself, Why not? Why not it be me today?' MacIntyre said. 'When I was going round, and I just trusted myself, trusted my caddie Mike (Burrow), trusted all the work that I've done.'
Trying to become the first Scottish golfer to win a major since Paul Lawrie in 1999, MacIntyre earned $2,322,000 and rose to 12th in the world with his week's work. He also gained confidence that his day would come.
'It's what I dreamed of as a kid, sitting in Oba (Scotland), watching all the majors,' MacIntyre said. 'And there's no reason why I can't win one, and that's my goal.'
Come rain or shine.
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