MacIntyre riding high in 100th year since last Scots US Open winner

Presumably, everybody was scunnered by the arduous, futile guddles for the sports editor's wayward hoiks during The Herald's inaugural autumn outing and decided to put a limit on the hunt.
But back to the US Open. In those formative years of the championship, there was plenty to write home about. Scottish golfers won 12 of the first 16 stagings.
That was hardly surprising. In just about every US state, there was an intrepid Scot spreading the golfing gospel and laying foundations for the growth of the game on the other side of the pond.
In that period, the Scots, in the words of the celebrated golf writer Herbert Warren Wind, had become, "as permanent in the American scene as Swedish masseurs and Chinese laundrymen.'
The tartan army's period of bountiful plunder in the US Open would end in 1925 with Willie Macfarlane triumphing at the Worcester Country Club. That would be the last Scottish success in the USGA's showpiece.
A century on, Oban's Robert MacIntyre had been making a good fist of it at Oakmont and was tucked in the upper echelons of the leaderboard heading into the closing day of a punishing week.
Now, we're not sure if young Master MacIntyre is aware of Macfarlane's epic feat 100 years ago. In the annals of golf history, though, it remains a success of grand significance.
Macfarlane, an Aberdonian by birth who travelled across the Atlantic to take up a club professionals' post at Oak Ridge in New York State, won his one and only major.
He won it the hard way too, in a mammoth 36-hole play-off against the famed Bobby Jones in the searing heat of Massachusetts. And you thought poking it around Oakmont was a strenuous struggle?
This was the US Open in which Jones, who would go on to win the grand slam in 1930, called a penalty on himself during the first round.
Jones felt his club had moved the ball in the rough on the 11th hole, but officials were unable to confirm this and left it to the American to make a ruling. Jones called a one-shot penalty on himself.
Lauded for his sportsmanship, Jones famously replied, 'you might as well praise me for not robbing a bank.'
Tied after 72-holes, Macfarlane and Jones were still locked together after the 18-hole play-off. There was no sudden-death in those days.
So, off they trotted for another 18-holes. Jones was four shots clear at the turn but Macfarlane rallied and won by a single stroke with a 73 to the 74 of Jones.
The Scot picked up $500 for his exhausting 108-hole endeavours. This year's winner shoved a cheque for $4.3 million into his pocket.
'The finest of men and a great golfer,' said Jones as he lavished praise on the triumphant Macfarlane.
The New York Times called the epic tussle, 'easily the greatest Open Championship of them all.' The golf correspondent with the Montreal Gazette, meanwhile, was positively giddy.
'Thus ended one of the greatest struggles between two of the game's giants that the world has ever seen,' he scribbled with a gasp.
'The gods of golf held their fingers crossed for Bobby Jones today but in the end, the most deserving golfer was rewarded.
'It was the perfect ending to a day of tremendous happenings that forced two thousand enthusiasts to dash hither and about, up and over the hills of Worcester Country Club in spite of a torrid sun that poured down on scorched heads.'
There wasn't much sun on the final day at Oakmont on Sunday. The final round was deluged by the kind of downpour that would've had tournament officials consulting Noah for a meteorological update.
The leading group had managed to get to the eighth before the dreaded hooter sounded as Mother Nature flung a star-spangled spanner into the USGA's works.
MacIntyre was still in the top-10 when he reached the turn before the suspension. A couple of early bogeys had him glowering like the dark clouds that were brewing over Oakmont but a tremendous putt for an eagle on the fourth lifted his morale.
Jon Rahm, the US Open champion in 2021, got himself home and dry before the hooter shrieked with an admirable 67 which hoisted him into the early clubhouse lead. Rory McIlroy posted a similar card
'It's crazy because it doesn't feel like I played that different to every other round,' said Rahm after finishing with a flourish.
It's a funny auld game.

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Tommy Fleetwood leads by three to boost maiden PGA Tour win hopes in Connecticut

South Wales Guardian

2 hours ago

South Wales Guardian

Tommy Fleetwood leads by three to boost maiden PGA Tour win hopes in Connecticut

The Englishman fired a flawless 63, including five birdies and an eagle at the par-five 13th, to reach 16 under par, three clear of American pair Russell Henley and Keegan Bradley going into Sunday's final round at TPC River Highlands in Connecticut. It was Fleetwood's lowest round on the PGA Tour this year – two shots better than his 65 on the final day of the Truist Championship in Philadelphia last month – and just one stroke away from his best ever. Back-to-back days with eagles on 13 for @TommyFleetwood1 🦅 📺 CBS — PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) June 21, 2025 'It (winning) will come down to a bunch of things,' Fleetwood told CBS Sports. 'I haven't been in contention much at all this year, I've been on the outskirts if you like. 'My best finishes have been just outside of being in contention, but like really close. So to put myself there and be in the last group (on Sunday), I'm really happy with that. 'I've been here plenty of times, I'm looking forward to it. I'm happy with the work I've done and happy I've bounced back for the first few days of this tournament from last week (US Open). 'It's just an amazing opportunity for me to go out and enjoy it, and hopefully it's our time.' Fleetwood would be a popular winner as the 34-year-old had the most top 10 finishes on the PGA Tour since 1983 without a win. That number totals 41 – seven more than the second man, Brett Quigley, on that list – but the elusive victory hovered into sight on a curious day when overnight leaders Scottie Scheffler and Justin Thomas went backwards. World number one Scheffler made a triple bogey seven at the first hole and was strangely out of sorts for most of the day. Scheffler signed for a double bogey at the eighth and dropped more shots at the fourth and 16th saw him finish with a 72, nine shots adrift of Fleetwood at nine under par. Thomas went round in 73 with his card wrecked by a quadruple bogey nine at the 13th as he sat 10 shots back at six under. American Ryder Cup captain Keegan Bradley roared into contention with a 63 to join Henley, who shot 61, on 13 under par. Jason Day is two shots further back. Solo leader Tommy Fleetwood is looking for his first TOUR victory @TravelersChamp 🤩 — PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) June 21, 2025 Rory McIlroy covered the outward nine in 31 to move to nine under par and put his name high on the leaderboard. But the Masters champion took six at the par-four 12th and a birdie at the 15th was quickly cancelled out by a dropped shot at the next. McIlroy starts the final day tied for eighth among a group which includes Scheffler.