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Rory McIlroy won his first PGA Tour title of the year at the 2023 Genesis Scottish Open, but he did not forget his sportsman-spirit after the game. The victory was a sweet one for McIlroy, while Robert MacIntyre secured a second place finish in front of his home crowd.
Heading into the 17th hole, Rory McIlroy was trailing MacIntyre by one shot. McIlroy needed a good performance to force a playoff, but the Northern Irish golfer remarkably shot back-to-back birdies to take a clear win instead. Knowing how much the tournament meant to MacIntyre, McIlroy was quick to approach him with a kind gesture.
During the post-tournament interviews, Rory McIlroy approached MacIntyre, hugged him and uttered a simple "I'm sorry" to the Scottish golfer.
MacIntyre was touched by the gesture, and has placed the Scottish Open as one of his favorite tournaments. Speaking about the tournament, he said (via the Mirror):
"I'll never forget it. I mean, that's why I play this sport. That's why I'm in the Scottish Open, and if not The Open, the Scottish Open will be up there with the event I want to play for the rest of my life."
Rory McIlroy wins Genesis Scottish Open amidst treacherous conditions
Rory McIlroy finished with an overall score of -15, one shot clear of MacIntyre, who enjoyed his highest finish of the year amidst strong winds. Scottie Scheffler, David Lingmerth and An Byeong-hun took joint third place at the Scottish Open.
Speaking about his win, he said:
"Yeah, just really proud of how I stuck in there. Hit some amazing shots down the stretch. I was able to finish it off with a really nice putt. Feels incredible. Its been a long six months since I won in Dubai... Hopefully, this win sort of breaks the seal for me going into the next week as well."
McIlroy will now shift his attention to the 2023 Open Championship, the fourth and final major of the year. It is scheduled to be held between July 20 and 23 at the Royal Liverpool Club in Hoylake, England.
