Bob MacIntyre suffers PGA agony at $20m BMW Championship as 'machine' mows down four-shot deficit

MacIntyre had started out with a four-shot overnight lead at Caves Valley Golf Club in Owings Mills in Maryland but had the wind taken out of his sails by a struggling start in the closing circuit of the $20 million event.

He found himself two shots behind with eight holes to play then again with five to go, though two sloppy three putts from Scheffler at the 12th and 14th kept the door open for MacIntyre.

However, the Scot was unable to put some pressure on his title rival when being first to putt for birdie from around six feet at the par-4 15th and, though MacIntyre birdied the par-5 16th to get back to one again, it was effectively game over when Scheffler chipped in for an incredible birdie-2 at the short 17th.

Scheffler, winner of both the PGA Championship and The Open this year, signed off with a 67 to finish on 15 under par, winning by two shots from MacIntyre after the 29-year-old closed with a 73.

It was Scheffler’s fifth win of the season, signing for his 17th consecutive round in the 60s and a 13th top-eight finish in a row equalled a PGA Tour record set in 1973 by Tom Weiskopf.

MacIntyre reaps rewards of strong display

Though he’ll be disappointed to miss out on a chance to claim a third PGA Tour title, the strong performance lifted MacIntyre from 20th to ninth heading into next week’s Tour Championship at East Lake in Atlanta.

At the same time, MacIntyre cemented his position in the battle for six automatic spots on the European team for the Ryder Cup at Bethpage Black on Long Island in New York in September.

MacIntyre’s handy overnight lead quickly disappeared as the Scot made a shaky start and, as expected, Scheffler wasted no time turning up the heat on his playing partner in the final group.

Despite taking a 3-wood, MacIntyre missed the first fairway on the right, came up short with his approach and was unable to get up and down to save par, leading to a two-shot swing straight away as Scheffler knocked his approach to around six feet and opened with a birdie.

After another missed fairway at the second, MacIntyre then short-sided himself at the side of the second green and, following a bogey there as well, the Oban man’s cushion was down to just one shot and that wasn’t what he’d been looking for when the man chasing him has been the game’s dominant force over the past few years.

MacIntyre was unable to convert a good birdie opportunity from around nine feet at the par-3 third, but, with Scheffler three-putting there for a bogey, it was a boost, nonetheless, for the left-hander as he found himself two shots ahead.

Both players were unable to birdie the par-5 fourth before MacIntyre pushed a straightforward approach at the sixth, leading to a bogey, which was compounded by Scheffler rolling in a 12-footer for a birdie and, all of a sudden, the pair were tied for the lead.

That, of course, would have been hugely disappointing for MacIntyre after the way he’d played over the opening three days to get himself into a great position, but it certainly wasn’t the first time that Scheffler had turned around such a deficit.

In last year’s Olympics in Paris, for instance, the American had also been four shots behind heading into the closing circuit yet still claimed the gold medal. He’s a machine and, following a third birdie of the day from just over five feet at the par-4 seventh, he had moved into the lead in this event.

At that point in the round, Scheffler stood at nine under par for the front nine for the week, but, buoyed by the fact he’d played the back nine the better of the two, MacIntyre knew his title bid was still very much alive.

It was certainly a boost for him when he made a great up and down from the thick stuff at the left of the green to save par at the eighth, though his task became more difficult when Scheffler moved two ahead following a birdie from close range at the par-4 11th.

The world No 1 doesn’t make many mistakes, so it was a surprise when he then gave that shot back after a sloppy three-putt from around 25 feet at the 12th, meaning the gap was down to one shot again and MacIntyre knew he’d been handed an unexpected lifeline.

Scheffler opens the door

It would have been a massive blow, therefore, when he allowed Scheffler to go two ahead again after misjudging either the club or wind at the par-3 13th, leaving himself a long way from the hole and then being unable to save par from seven-and-a-half feet.

Wait a minute, though, because another unexpected Scheffler three putt - this time from 20 feet - at the 14th meant the pair were separated by just one shot again with four holes to play.

A brilliant bunker shot from MacIntyre set up a six-foot birdie chance at the 15th, but his frustration was there for all to see as he was unable to take it, especially as Scheffler was just inside him and made no mistake, extending his lead again.

Not for long, though. MacIntyre’s brilliant second shot at the par-5 16th wasn’t far away from landing straight into the hole, but a first birdie of the day for the Scot meant the see-sawing continued as the gap was back to just a shot once more.

Scheffler closes the door

A moment of magic, though, from Scheffler as he chipped in for a 2 at the 17th finally killed off MacIntyre’s hopes of pulling something out of the bag on a day when he didn’t play his best but, once the dust settles, can still take lots of positives from his week’s work.

In the battle to make the season-ending Tour Championship, Genesis Scottish Open champion Chris Gotterup made it through along with European Ryder Cup contender Harry Hall, but Rickie Fowler just missed out along with Matt Fitzpatrick.

It means that Fitzpatrick will play instead next week in the Betfred British Masters hosted by Sir Nick Faldo at The Belfry as he bids to secure a captain’s pick from Luke Donald for the Ryder Cup at Bethpage Black in September.