(Edinburgh) - In a dramatic finish, Robert MacIntyre secured victory at the 2024 Genesis Scottish Open thanks to a fortunate rules break that came at a crucial moment.

Trailing overnight leader Adam Scott by two shots heading into the final round, MacIntyre knew he needed something special to deny the Australian a victory on home soil. After steady front nine, MacIntyre found himself still two back of Scott standing on the tee at the par-5 16th hole.

Robert MacIntyre poses with the Genesis Scottish Open trophy after his win at The Renessaince Club on Sunday. MacIntyre shot 18 under/ Malcolm Mackenzie

His tee shot sailed right and buried in the thick fescue rough that lines the hole. Looking for a way to gain a shot on the field's final par 5, MacIntyre faced a seemingly impossible lie as his ball nestled down among the long grass. "I’m shouting and I’m swearing when I’m getting up to the ball because I know that that’s my chance to really make birdie coming in," said MacIntyre afterward. “I got over the ball, looked at it, thinking, ‘I’m in a bit of trouble here. Might manage to move it maybe a hundred yards.'”

As the 27-year-old Scottish star assessed his options, fate intervened. As he placed his feet in preparation to swing, MacIntyre heard an unexpected "clunk". 

“I just heard the clunk,” MacIntyre said.

“I was like, ‘No way — I’ve got a sprinkler underneath my foot,'” MacIntyre said. “It was just a lucky break.”

He had stood on a buried sprinkler head, entitling him relief under rule 16.1 which protects players from interference from immovable obstructions like sprinklers.

“You use the rules to get [an] advantage,” MacIntyre said. “You stand on a sprinkler, you’re due relief. That was just the one kiss I needed.”

Relieved to a spot just off the fairway in the short grass, MacIntyre was able to rip a hybrid shot to within 6 feet of the hole. He rolled in the eagle putt to catapult into a tie for the lead. A composed par at the difficult par-3 17th set up a dramatic finish.

One back of Scott standing on the 18th tee, MacIntyre split the fairway with his drive. A pitching wedge from 168 yards finished inside two feet to seal an incredible victory. As his winning putt dropped, MacIntyre let out an elated scream, celebrating winning the tournament he coveted most.

"[I] was just standing over the putt, I was just like, ‘This is the chance you wanted. Take it," an emotional MacIntyre said after receiving the trophy.  “It was just perfect. It’s a lifetime dream." The fortunate moment with the sprinkler head will long be remembered as a pivotal ruling that helped deliver MacIntyre's dream victory on home soil.

References: https://golf.com/instruction/rules/lucky-rules-break-scottish-open-title/