Robert MacIntyre’s inspirational quote, a $2 million missed 2-footer, and a giant sandbagging controversy

Welcome to another edition of The Grind, where we had plenty of time to reflect on our latest close call at the HGGA Championship, AKA my annual buddies trip, while driving the family home from North Carolina. On the bright side, French Lick Resort (I went from there to NC to meet the fam after finishing runner-up) and its golf courses were awesome. On the down side, I couldn’t get that final round at the Donald Ross course out of my mind. First, I was fixated on the missed putt on 18 costing me the green jacket. Then, it was the putt on 16. No, it was the misjudged approach on 15. No, it was the misjudged approach on 3. No, it was the drive on 18. You get the point. A man can do some serious thinking during a 12-hour car ride—even with two kids in the backseat. Anyway, congrats to HGGA commissioner Mark Finegan on getting back into the winner’s circle:

So long, green jacket. I’ll miss you, even if my wife is happy to not have it hanging up in the house after two years. But that wasn’t the only golf tournament with a thrilling finish last week. In fact, Sunday may have been the most drama-filled day in golf history. So let’s get to it. Before I start thinking about that final round in French Lick. Again.

Robert MacIntyre: We start with the Genesis Scottish Open, where for the second time this summer, the 27-year-old Scot won a national open—this time, the one he’s been dreaming of his whole life. And he did it in incredibly dramatic fashion, eagling the 16th hole to tie Adam Scott (Poor Adam) and birdieing the final hole for the win:

Yes, he also got one of the luckiest—and, frankly, dumbest—breaks (more on that later) in golf history with that free drop because of a sprinkler head in the deep rough, but hey, he took full advantage of it. And after, he planned to celebrate so much that he had to postpone his British Open press conference to Wednesday because he wouldn’t be “in a fit state” or “legally able to drive” to Royal Troon on Monday. Amazing. And judging by how much whiskey was in the trophy, we believe him:

Live it up, Bob. And if he hoists the claret jug come Sunday, he’s not only the Champion Golfer of the Year, but the Champion Drinker of the Year.

Ayaka Furue: I’ll see your walk-off birdie and raise you a walk-off eagle. That’s what Furue did to capture her maiden LPGA major at the Evian Championship:

Talk about coming up clutch. Furue says she was fueled by the famed Star Wars quote, “May the force be with you.” Man, I gotta start saying positive things to myself on the golf course. In any event, the force was definitely with her as she was five-under par over her final five holes. Furue just recently missed out on representing Japan at the Olympics, but a first major—and a $1.2 million payday—is a pretty nice consolation prize.

Harry Hall: With Bryson DeChambeau wearing baseball caps now, Hall was mostly known as that current golfer who wears a Hogan hat. But now he’s also a PGA Tour winner after winning the ISCO Championship, the tour’s opposite-field event, in a five-man playoff that took three holes and ended on this brilliant chip-in.

And with a first baby on the way, that first win couldn’t have come at a better time. Not that kids ever get cheaper. We just ordered a desk for our 6-year-old from Pottery Barn, and, well, Harry, could you spot me a few bucks?

Sergio Garcia: Actually, Sergio is a better person to ask after finally winning a $4 million first-place LIV check for the first time. Not to mention the $3 million his Fireballs will split for winning the team title in Spain. Talk about a fitting spot for Sergio to win his first LIV titles. And his crew had plenty of celebratory bubbly of their own:

No matter the tour, no matter the time zone, there was drama everywhere. “I love this place and I love the people and I’m so thankful for what I achieved today,” Garcia said of the raucous home crowd. LIV golfers have been mocked for comparing the new league to established golf events, but that truly looks like the happiest Sergio has ever been. Good for him. But, yeah, Sergio, can I hold some of that money for you?

Robert MacIntyre’s drop: Look, he did nothing wrong. And you could tell he felt bad calling the ref over. But this was ridiculous.

He went from dead to having a great lie. Now, he also hit an unbelievable shot from that lie to set up that eagle, but the rules of golf look really silly here. Him standing on a sprinkler head that he said he wouldn’t have even felt if not for wearing metal spikes had no bearing on the shot he was about to play. And even if it did, logic says he should have to recreate his lie in the thick stuff. Anyway, good for him for taking advantage of the rule, but that was a bit of a joke. Again, poor Adam Scott.

Anirban Lahiri’s miss: And poor Anirban. The LIV golfer joined a group you don’t want to be a part of that includes people like Doug Sanders, Scott Hoch and I.K. Kim. Of course, I’m talking about missing a really, really short putt to win a golf tournament. And this from Lahiri is about as short as it gets:

Ouch. Now those others missed in major championships, but financially, this was a bigger immediate hit to Lahiri? That two-footer cost him both the individual and team titles as well as more than $2 million. Crazy. Speaking of losing money . . .

Missing out on Davis Thompson: This happened more than a week ago, but I’m still bitter about it. Here’s the gist: I’ve been betting on this guy almost every week for the past year. That included a close call at the Rocket Mortgage Classic. So the following week, I miss him opening at 35-to-1. Then when I finally decide to suck it up and bet him at 25/1, it changes to 22/1 so I decide not to chase. And wouldn’t you know it, but he goes on and wins his first PGA Tour title and I miss out on a big payday. What an absolute dagger. The moral of the story? Always stick to your plan. Sigh.

Being late to a tee time: In general, this is just poor form. But when it happens to tour pros, it’s even crazier. And yet, it’s happened TWICE in the past two weeks to Mackenzie Hughes and Norman Vincent. Both got to the first tee in time to avoid a DQ, but received two-stroke penalties. You’d think with all the money in pro golf these days that these guys would all have good watches.

It’s time for the Open Championship, AKA the British Open, AKA the new Glory’s Last Shot in men’s golf. I can’t believe we’re already down to the final major of the year on the calendar. So let’s make it a good one, unlike last year. Kidding, Brian Harman! (Sort of). But seriously, the guy played so well there was never much suspense on Sunday.

Random tournament fact: Everyone remembers Henrik Stenson out dueling Phil Mickelson the last time Royal Troon hosted the Open, but do you remember Phil nearly won that Open while wearing a binder clip on his hat because it was too big? Classic Phil.

RANDOM PROP BETS OF THE WEEK

—This year’s winner will have a binder clip on their hat: 1 MILLION-to-1 odds

—Phil and Henrik won’t shoot a combined 37 under again: 10 MILLION-to-1 odds

—Brian Harman won’t win by six shots again: LOCK

To everyone reading, let me know if you need a hype man/fourth. I’m available. (Kids permitting, of course.) What’s funny is Dan also hyped me up that day by calling me a “Flusher” and it was one of the proudest moments of my life. I thought the confidence that comment gave me would carry me to the green jacket, but, sigh.

CLUB PRO GUY TWEET OF THE WEEK

Here’s a topic that CPG is very familiar with. Apparently, there’s a guy out there on TikTok known as Yip Strickler who investigates people’s golf handicaps. This is amazing and important work, and I might have to hire Yip as a consultant for future HGGA Championships. But one video in particular gained a lot of attention because it involved a team that tied for first at a recent Barstool Classic event to advance to the final (where there’s a $10,000 prize for first so this stuff actually, kind of matters):

Now calling someone a sandbagger isn’t something you do lightly. Although my old golf buddy Roks (RIP) once came into a classroom where I was substitute teaching and plopped an actual bag of sand down on a desk. Classic. But anyway, as suspicious as this evidence is, these guys deserved to tell their side of the story. Which they did to Barstool’s Riggs, the event’s commissioner (Big week for commissioners!). And he ruled in their favor:

And Yip responded by showing both players in question have now added a bunch of scores to bring their handicaps down. Hmm. Tricky situation, but I guess you have to give these guys the benefit of the doubt. Look, there’s only so much policing you can do. The handicap system will always have its flaws—and its cheaters—but if not for it, then 99 percent of us hacks could never compete. Anyway, don’t be a snake and always report your scores. All your scores. All your real scores. Because it’s the right thing to do. And because Yip Strickler is watching.

VIRAL VIDEO OF THE WEEK (GOLF SHOT DIVISION)

Shout-out to Eric Lebowitz, who finished third at this year’s HGGA Championship, but did provide the highlight of the week with this insane recovery shot from a flower bed near the bag drop at the Donald Ross Course at French Lick:

I’d love to see Johnson Wagner recreate that shot on Golf Channel! Had he hit the nearby shuttle or the clubhouse, the HGGA probably wouldn’t be allowed back in the state of Indiana.

THIS WEEK IN PUBLIC DISPLAYS OF AFFECTION

We loved that call home after MacIntyre’s win in Canada, but this time, his mum got to be there as well. Just look at her face:

THIS WEEK IN PUBLIC DISPLAYS OF AFFECTION ANIMOSITY

Colin Montgomerie did an interview in which he stated Tiger Woods looks miserable and that it’s time for him to step away from the game. Tiger’s response?

Dagger! Sorry, Monty, but Tiger’s got a point.

THIS WEEK IN PUBLIC DISPLAYS OF AFFECTION ANIMOSITY CLASS

Introducing Jager Pain, a Canadian junior golfer who appeared to be on his way to a wire-to-wire win at the 102nd Ontario Junior Boys Championship when he made a quintuple-bogey 10 on the 72nd hole. Showing a maturity well beyond his 16 years, Jager posted this classy message on Instagram:

Well done, Jager. I’m 42 and I can safely say I wouldn’t have handled it that well if I made a 10 on the final hole to lose the HGGA Championship.

THIS WEEK IN CELEBRITY GOLFERS

HUGE week in this realm, starting with my guy Mardy Fish winning the American Century Championship for the second time:

Then there was Tim Brown making an ace during the first round . . . and winning a BOAT!

Congrats, Tim. And then there’s Steph Curry, the defending champ not playing in the event because he’s busy trying to win a gold medal. But don’t worry, Steph (and his Team USA mates) are still getting their golf in!

“A lot of people might say he doesn’t quite have this, he doesn’t quite have that. But I’ve got fight and that’s all I need.” —Robert MacIntyre. Some amazingly inspirational words from Bob Mac following his latest win. Have a look and listen:

Put that on a t-shirt and sell it!

Congrats to Ernie Els for winning his first senior major. The senior tour hasn’t come as easy for the “Big Easy” as many would have thought. And it’s another reminder that you have no shot of playing out there when you turn 50. . . . Congrats to Charles Barkley for finishing T-58 at the American Century Championship—the best finish of his career in 29 tries! Congrats, Chuck, and kudos to his swing coach and Golf Digest friend, Stan Utley! . . . And, finally, I may not have brought back the green jacket, but I did get to take home the coveted Spirit of Roks (RIP) Award for my general passion toward our annual trip:

I’m honored. Even if I probably only won it because I tore my meniscus training for the trip. Worth it!

RANDOM QUESTIONS TO PONDER

How long will Tiger Woods keep playing competitively?

How long will I have to wait to get the green jacket back?

How would Tiger fare playing against the HGGA’s sandbaggers?