Robert MacIntyre showed great sportsmanship as he applauded JJ Spaun's winning putt at the U.S. Open on Sunday despite it ending the Scot's own hopes of securing his maiden Major Championship title.
MacIntyre started the day seven shots off the lead but gave himself every chance of claiming victory by shooting a stunning 68 in the weather-affected final round to set the clubhouse target at one over par.
With Spaun making a birdie at Oakmont Country Club's 17th hole to take a one-shot lead to the 18th tee, MacIntyre knew anything less than a closing par from the American would keep his chances alive.
But the home favourite instead drained his 65-foot putt for a birdie to clinch a two-shot victory, and MacIntyre reacted by clapping repeatedly and saying 'wow'.
Sportsmanship at its finest 💪
— DP World Tour (@DPWorldTour) June 16, 2025
Bob MacIntyre is a class act. #USOpen
pic.twitter.com/APTQrLd9IM
After starting with two bogeys in his first three holes, three-time DP World Tour winner MacIntyre got the shots straight back with an eagle from 58 feet on the fifth.
He then recovered from a bogey on the sixth with a birdie at the ninth to turn in 35.
A 90-minute weather delay did not appear to do the 28-year-old Ryder Cup star any harm as he kept the bogeys off his card on the back nine, birdieing the 14th and 17th to earn a share of the lead late on.
But as Spaun pulled off his big finish, MacIntyre was made to wait for his Major breakthrough.
He said: "Obviously I didn't get off to the best of starts. I was two over through three and then holed a lovely putt on the fourth, par five for eagle.
"That kind of settled me down. That got me into somewhat of a groove and back in the golf tournament.
"Then the back nine was just all about fighting. Obviously the rain delay. My previous rain delay comebacks haven't been strong.
"Today was a day that I said to myself, 'Why not? Why can't it be me today' when I was going round, and I just trusted myself, trusted my caddie Mike, trusted all the work that I've done."
