Robert MacIntyre sent his growing army of fans back home in Scotland on a roller coaster ride before he birdied the last to secure a top 12 finish and a dream return to the Masters Tournament in 2022.
The 2019 Sir Henry Cotton Rookie of the Year was making his debut at Augusta National and entered the final day at two under and right in the mix to claim that all important place among the best dozen players.
After bogeying the first and making a double on the sixth, he was over par for the week and it was looking like he would have to find another way to seal an invitation for next season's first Major Championship.
But he birdied the eighth, ninth and 12th and another gain at the 15th moved him into the top ten.
Back to back bogeys on the 16th and 17th meant he was once again on the outside looking in but he holed from 13 feet on the last to sign for a 72 and make sure of an Augusta return right on the mark.
A week to remember @robert1lefty 🏴
— The European Tour (@EuropeanTour) April 11, 2021
He punches his ticket back to next year's Masters.#TheMasters pic.twitter.com/c1RgFw9PLz
“This is a place you want to be competing every year,” the left-hander said. “My first time this year and I obviously put up a decent fight, but once you come here, you don’t want to miss another one.
“I’m not missing next year for anything. I’ve played some great golf over the last week and I feel like my game suits this golf course.
“The way I play golf suits the way this golf course wants you to play golf. I’m just over the moon to finish the way I finished.
“If someone had given me tied for 12th for a start, I’d have taken it, but then once I started getting into the battle, I could see how people were making scores.
This moment right now is everything I’ve ever dreamed of and it’s what I play golf for
“Obviously got off to a poor start today but I battled back the way I normally do. Disappointing bogeys on 16 and 17 but huge birdieing the last.
“This moment right now is everything I’ve ever dreamed of and it’s what I play golf for.
"You love a dream and you hope for it but when you're here now it's different. The buzz you get when I've holed that putt and then I've gone in and seen the scores and where I finished and it's just, it's everything you want as a kid, and we've done it.
“I’ve got to take the positives. I’ve played great for my first year and tried to manage my way around a golf course that I’ve never seen - I’ve only played it on computer games with my pals.”
