The golf world stood nonetheless when Robert MacIntyre’s Genesis Scottish Open-winning putt fell in.
Ross Parker/Getty Photographs
NORTH BERWICK, Scotland — A horrible silence hung over the 18th inexperienced on the Genesis Scottish Open for what felt like a beat too lengthy.
Down beneath, Robert MacIntyre, Scotland’s native son, was staring down the ultimate six inches of the putt of his life, a 22-foot roller that required simply sufficient dying velocity to keep away from lacking the opening altogether. He was keen it towards the cup with each ounce of his being, however each passing on the spot of quiet appeared to imperil it additional.
No 22-footer may take that lengthy to succeed in the opening — not even a putt at dying velocity on these gradual Scottish greens. Bob knew it, the few thousand ringed across the 18th inexperienced knew it, all people knew it. So the quiet grew extra painful, as a result of it meant the putt of MacIntyre’s life had missed.
“I assumed it was half-a-hole brief,” he admitted later. “I assumed it was operating out of legs…”
However MacIntyre’s putt was not brief.
“It was simply good.”
So good that it fell in — after which, mercifully, the silence lifted.
It’s tempting to explain the noise that adopted Bob MacIntyre’s Scottish Open-winning putt as a roar, however the fact is that it was not a roar, it was a launch. The individuals who cheered MacIntyre weren’t screaming however heaving, belting with all of the power and catharsis of a silly dream realized.
Maybe the dream wasn’t all that silly, what with the Sixteenth-ranked participant on this planet hailing from the house nation and coming inside a hair of profitable this very event a yr in the past? However how else would you describe golf’s house nation — a rustic of simply 5.5 million — delivering the winner of their very personal nationwide open for under the second time in its historical past? And the way else would you describe doing it like this, with all the most rabid spectators on this planet watching from off the facet of the 72nd gap? A few of them, like Sahith Theegala, watching from very shut, craning their necks out of the highest balcony of the Renaissance clubhouse and hoping to seize a whiff of magic brewing beneath.
“That is the possibility you wished, take it,” MacIntyre informed himself as he stood over the 22-footer. The putter felt “heavy” in his fingers, he mentioned, which had been unusually regular. What occurred subsequent was a putt on the skin proper edge that bent each methods, slowed down because it neared the opening … and fell.
The eruption began largely within the gallery, which could have overwhelmed safety had been they not so overcome with bliss. One part of followers charged orderly up the 18th fairway, encircling the inexperienced in a state of chaos, whereas one other, simply to the left of the grandstand, hugged with such vigor they strained in opposition to the burden of the ropeline. The bagpipe salute that adopted was largely ceremonial, however the giggly handshakes supplied to MacIntyre by the musicians weren’t.
When the music stopped, MacIntyre charged into the gang from off the 18th inexperienced to search out the gaggle of his household crying and swearing, and by the point he left for the scoring tent he had all however misplaced his voice. The celebration, he mentioned, will run into the wee hours of the morning — threatening his driving capability for his scheduled Open Championship press availability on Monday … at 3 p.m.
“I feel there is perhaps a change of schedule,” he mentioned with amusing.
Maybe Theegala can fill in. He snuck down from the clubhouse with a smile on his face to search out MacIntyre simply exterior of scoring, and interrupted his stroll to his courtesy car to butt-into Bob’s celebration with a celebratory handshake.
“Properly performed,” he mentioned.
The sentiment was shared by MacIntyre’s caddie, Englishman Mike Burrows, although you’d by no means comprehend it from taking a look at him. He stood stonefaced from simply off the 18th inexperienced, till a member of MacIntyre’s household approached him for a hug and his gaze softened.
“F—ing Aye,” he mentioned, a dry grin wrapped throughout his face.
The pandemonium reached its loudest simply earlier than MacIntyre reappeared to simply accept the trophy in entrance of the gang, which nonetheless had not left the 18th gap. They started to make an odd noise simply earlier than he appeared, a track of some type, echoing back and forth of the inexperienced in a staggered refrain.
However not simply any track — Flower of Scotland, the Scottish nationwide sporting anthem. The singing continued like this for a couple of minutes, damaged and disorderly, joyous bedlam.
The phrases would want a number of journeys across the amphitheater earlier than they could possibly be understood, however their that means wanted no introduction in any respect.
O Flower of Scotland
When will we see,
Your like once more?
Not quickly, and maybe not ever.
Robert MacIntyre is a Scottish Open champion, and the silence has left Scotland for good.
The writer welcomes your ideas at james.colgan@golf.com
