Scottish golfer Bob MacIntyre surrendered a commanding four-stroke advantage during Sunday's final round at the BMW Championship in Maryland, eventually finishing two shots behind victor Scottie Scheffler, with the star revealing he was ready to "smash up my golf clubs".
The Oban native's lead dissolved as he carded a three-over-par 73, whilst the world No1 delivered a masterful 67 to secure the title.
MacIntyre, who had dominated the tournament's opening three days with rounds of 62, 64 and 68, struggled throughout the final eighteen holes at Caves Valley.
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Scheffler's triumph earned him the $3.6 million winner's prize, with MacIntyre collecting $2.16 million for his runner-up finish.
Bob MacIntyre saw his lead disintegrate to world No1 Scottie Scheffler on the day
|REUTERS
Reflecting on the eventful day, the 29-year-old rejected any notion that Scheffler's presence had rattled him, stating emphatically: "Not at all. I mean, I can't control what he does. Look, I mean if he doesn’t hole out, he doesn’t get up and down, on 17, he holes it.
"If he didn’t get up and down there, my ball didn’t fly two yards long, it may have been a different story. But look, he’s the better player on the day.
"Yeah, I’m just really p****d off right now."
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The world No8 appeared devastated after the loss
|Sky Sports
When questioned about what it would require to defeat Scheffler, MacIntyre responded bluntly: "I mean, right now, not a clue. I want to go and smash up my golf clubs, to be honest with you.”
The Scot offered a brutal assessment of his own display, calling it "absolutely disastrous" and "abysmal".
MacIntyre's troubles began immediately as he recorded bogeys on the opening two holes, before dropping another shot at the fifth.
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This catastrophic start enabled Scheffler to erase the deficit and assume command by the turn.
The Scotsman's struggles with distance control plagued him throughout, as he later acknowledged: "I didn't feel like I controlled distance well."
Whilst MacIntyre briefly narrowed the gap to a single stroke on multiple occasions, including with his sole birdie at the 16th hole after a 265-yard approach shot, he couldn't sustain any momentum against the relentless American.
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The decisive moment arrived at the 17th hole when Scheffler executed a remarkable chip from the rough that found the cup, effectively ending MacIntyre's hopes.
The American's audacious shot came after MacIntyre had reduced the deficit to one stroke with his birdie at the previous hole.
Despite the crushing disappointment, MacIntyre's second-place finish secured his place in Luke Donald's European Ryder Cup team for next month's contest at Bethpage State Park.