B-Mac claims second leg of dream trifecta

With Dunhill Links added to Scottish Open glory, winning the Open is Scot's next goal

Robert MacIntyre wants to hold another trophy on Swilcan Bridge (Warren Little/Getty Images)

Steadily, Robert MacIntyre has developed into one of the best players in the world. So when he now sets his sights on winning an Open Championship, the man from Oban should be taken seriously.

After winning the Genesis Scottish Open in 2024 and the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship on Sunday at St. Andrews, B-Mac says the only thing that could top it would be completing the Scotch trifecta by picking up a claret jug at the Old Course when it goes back in 2027.

Hot off helping Europe win a second consecutive Ryder Cup with him on the team at Bethpage Black last week, MacIntyre closed the deal on a weather-shortened Dunhill Links with three consecutive 66s at Carnoustie, Kingbarns and St. Andrews. The native Scot won by four strokes over his Ryder Cup teammate Tyrrell Hatton.

It marked the 29-year-old MacIntyre’s fourth DP World Tour victory.

“To win anywhere in the world is special, but for a Scotsman, I won the Scottish Open,” he said. “To win the Dunhill Links at the Home of Golf, there’s no other place you want to win golf tournaments, and the only one that potentially would top this would be an Open Championship at St Andrews.

“But no, this is a special, special win, and for me as a Scotsman, it just elevates that. It’s no secret now. A major championship is what I need or what I want.”

Having climbed to his highest career OWGR ranking of No. 8 with the Dunhill win, MacIntrye has built the résumé to be considered a real contender on major stages. He very nearly won the U.S. Open at Oakmont in June only to watch J.J. Spaun pluck it from him with two closing birdies.

MacIntyre has five career top-10s in majors, including three at the Open in 2025 (T7), 2021 (T8) and his debut in 2019 (T6).

“Look, if I play every major for the next 10 years, it’s 40 chances,” he said. “And I’m hoping one of those times I’m going to fall across the line and if I do that sooner rather than later, we add to that.

“But I’ve got goals. I know I’ve got the game. It’s now just about piecing it all together, and yeah, got Augusta next year, give it a go again.”

MacIntyre’s 54-hole total of 18-under was remarkably consistent considering the challenging weather, shooting 6-under 66 every round — first at Carnoustie, then at Kingsbarns and finally on the Old Course. On Sunday, he started fast with six birdies over the first 13 holes to move five strokes ahead and sail home.

“All three days were important but Kingsbarns was the one where it could have got away from us,” he said of the difficult wind and cold that they played through Friday before all play was cancelled on Saturday. “To shoot 6-under was unbelievable. I even shocked myself. Was absolutely delighted when we finished.

“It got me in a position knowing that there wasn’t much rough at St Andrews. I knew I had a chance. It was just a matter of going out today and playing well.

“I had my moments at times, like the par-five — I hit it in the bunker. It was dead. Chipped out sideways. Yes, I was angry but it was about doing a job. I just thought, overall, my whole game was really good this week.”

The home favorite became the first Scottish winner of the Dunhill Links since Colin Montgomerie in 2005. He was also the first Scot since Monty to win the Scottish Open, ending a 25-year drought there. No Scot has won the Open — or any other major — since Paul Lawrie at Carnoustie in 1999.

Scottish winners weren’t so rare at the Dunhill after it became and official DP World Tour event in 2001. Lawrie, Stephen Gallacher and Montgomerie won in three of its first five editions.

Hatton finished alone in second on 14-under following his Sunday 65 on the Old Course, with South Africa’s Richard Sterne and Englishman John Parry tied third another shot back. Sterne shared the 36-hole lead with MacIntyre.

“Unbelievable. Any time you can win a golf tournament on these shores is special. But I’m just delighted with the way I’ve done it,” MacIntyre said. “I’ve played really nice over the three days and here we are.

“I don’t know how we’re going to celebrate after the celebration we had last Sunday (after winning the Ryder Cup in New York). We’ll try our best. I don’t know if it’ll be tonight but it’ll be over the next couple of weeks.

“We’ll have a nice celebration. Any time you can win, it’s difficult to win. It’s just a beautiful ending to a good week.”