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European Tour Order of Merit

The European Tour Order of Merit was introduced in 2016 and is based on prize money won in the year's European Tour events which are held across continental Europe.

The top 32 players from the European Tour Order of Merit qualify for the European Championship.

Rory McIlroy secures fourth European Tour order of merit title in Dubai

Fourth-placed finish enough to see off challenges of ryan fox and matt fitzpatrick.

Rory McIlroy and caddie Harry Diamond pose with the DP World Tour Championship trophy after the final round of the DP World Tour Championship on the Earth Course at Jumeirah Golf Estates in Dubai. Photograph: Andrew Redington/Getty Images

Rory McIlroy wrapped up his year’s work in the desert with another box ticked. In securing the Harry Vardon Trophy – awarded to the winner of the DP World Tour’s order of merit – for a fourth time in his career, the Northern Irishman once again demonstrated his season’s dominance in adding that title to the FedEx Cup he won on the PGA Tour.

Add in the fact that he is world number one, and likely will head into 2023 with that accolade, and McIlroy’s impressive work throughout 2022, which began back in Abu Dhabi in January, has reaped its rewards.

That McIlroy achieved this latest European Tour order of merit title – to go with his successes in 2012, 2014 and 2015 – by dipping his foot into the water without fully immersing his entire body is a measure of how consistently well he played. For comparison, McIlroy played just 10 times on the DP World Tour schedule this season, while runner-up Ryan Fox competed in 24 tournaments.

McIlroy’s form, even without a win in those DP World Tour counting forays, was consistent: the year started with a tied-12th finish in Abu Dhabi which would prove to be his worst result, as he subsequently claimed two runners-up finishes, two thirds, three fourths, a fifth and an eighth-placed finish.

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In the season-ending DP World Tour Championship on The Earth course in Dubai, McIlroy’s fourth-placed finish – in a tournament won for the third time by Spain’s Jon Rahm – was sufficient to see him comfortably regain the order of merit title. McIlroy finished on 4,754 points to Fox’s 4,173, while Rahm’s win moved him to third in the final standings.

McIlroy’s wins this year all came on the PGA Tour – the Canadian Open, the Tour Championship and the CJ Cup – and his points for the DP World Tour primarily came from his consistent play in the Majors (second in the Masters, eighth in the US PGA, fifth in the US Open, and third in the 150th Open).

“It means a lot, it’s been seven years since I’ve last done it,” admitted McIlroy. “Obviously this is my fourth one but it’s been a while [since 2015]. I’ve won three FedEx Cups since the last time I won. I was a model of consistency the whole way through the year, a lot of top finishes. It would have been nice to get one win in there at the end of the year but Jon [Rahm] obviously played an incredible tournament and fully deserved it. I’m really proud of my year, and excited for 2023,” said McIlroy.

McIlroy’s fourth order of merit moved him alongside Peter Oosterhuis in third place on the all-time table, which is headed by Colin Montgomerie (eight titles) with Seve Ballesteros in second (six titles).

“I’m very proud of myself. It seems like it’s a long time since San Antonio, the Texas Open the week before Augusta this year, when I was sort of struggling a little bit and made a couple of tweaks with my game and with my equipment. Went to a different golf ball. It seemed like just after that, my whole year turned around and got a ton the momentum at the Masters and just went from there.

“ I think one of the things I’m really proud of over the last few years is I don’t feel I have to rely on one aspect of my game. I think if my driving isn’t there, then my putter bails me out. If my putter isn’t there, my iron play bails me out.

“I feel like when you get to this level, it’s like, ’okay, how can you make those incremental improvements to get better?’ And I think my goal has been to just become a more complete golfer and I feel like I’m on the journey to doing that … I’m as complete a golfer as I feel like I’ve ever been, and hopefully I can continue on that path,” said McIlroy.

Philip Reid

Philip Reid is Golf Correspondent of The Irish Times

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Letter from Europe

Winning the Order of Merit has been diminished in the Race to Dubai era, but there's hope for the future

Richard Heathcote

There was a time, of course, when topping what was once grandly called the “Order of Merit” on the European Tour qualified as a pretty big deal. First played for in 1937, winning the Harry Vardon Trophy represented at least a pretty strong consolation prize, one step down from golf’s biggest and most important titles. As such, it was a sure indication of prolonged excellence and season-long consistency of the highest order on a circuit well-supported by many of the game’s elite.

As you’d expect, the list of winners is impressive, one that includes a vast array of leading players born outside the United States (no American has yet annexed the trophy). Henry Cotton. Bobby Locke. Flory Van Donck. Dai Rees. Christy O’Connor. Neil Coles. Peter Alliss. Peter Oosterhuis. Seve Ballesteros, Nick Faldo. Sandy Lyle. Greg Norman. Bernhard Langer. Ian Woosnam. Lee Westwood. Retief Goosen. Ernie Els. Padraig Harrington. Justin Rose. Martin Kaymer. Luke Donald. Rory McIlroy. Henrik Stenson. Francesco Molinari. They’re all there.

Little wonder then that, with some justification—and in the glaring absence of a major championship victory on his otherwise impressive CV—Colin Montgomerie revelled in what became his most familiar accolade: eight-time European No. 1.

More recently, however, things have been very different. And not in a good way. For a while, topping what has become the “Race to Dubai” has been at best an afterthought, a bauble provoking little more than a shrug of the shoulders from those with bigger priorities in their professional lives. Indeed, the gradual decline in its importance has mirrored that of the European Tour itself.

Where once the likes of Ballesteros, Lyle, Langer, Woosnam and Faldo—major champions all—plied the majority of their trades at “home,” over the last few years the Old World circuit has been a place the absolute best have visited only occasionally, invariably when they were highly compensated for doing so. Only when appearance money speaks loudly do they even begin to take heed.

MORE: Euro Tour re-branded ahead of 2021-22 season, will include bigger purses, new events

A brief glance at the names atop this year’s Race to Dubai confirms all of the above. Somewhat ridiculously, Open champion Collin Morikawa will arrive in Dubai next week for the season-ending DP World Tour Championship looking down on all of his fellow European Tour members. He has achieved that admirable status having teed-up in nine counting events, only two of which—the Scottish Open and the Open—actually took place in Europe. Of the other six, just the Dubai Desert Classic qualifies as a “regular” tournament. The rest? Three American majors and three U.S.-based World Golf Championships.

In other words, the “European Tour” played by Morikawa—and his nearest challenger, another American, Billy Horschel—bears only a passing resemblance to that experienced by most players lower on what might more accurately be termed, the “Order of Mediocrity.” Take Englishman Richard Bland, who currently sits in eighth place having taken part in 22 counting events. So far, the British Masters champion has played for purses totalling approximately $89 million. In comparison, Morikawa’s nine starts have offered $90,250,000 in prize money. A level playing field this is not.

None of which is entirely surprising. As the old saying goes, the clue is in the title. “Professional” golfers go where the money is. And yes, there has always been a financial gap between the PGA Tour and its European counterpart. But over the last couple of years or so, that crevice became a chasm, especially in the wake of a pandemic that left European Tour chief executive officer Keith Pelley and his staff scrambling to maintain any sort of meaningful schedule (for which they deserve much credit).

That dire situation has now been alleviated, of course. The re-branding of the European Tour as the DP World Tour and the introduction of substantial sponsorship shines a bright economic light where before there was near darkness. Although the ongoing prospect of a rival circuit remains, a guarantee of events offering at least $2 million in prize money should remove some of the temptation European Tour members may have had to jump into the arms of Greg Norman and his Saudi cohorts .

MORE: The strange, sometimes rocky story of how the BMW PGA Championship became the European Tour's 'flagship' event

In time, it is to be hoped that the changes to the tour might go even further. It would be nice, for example, to see a rise in the minimum commitment required for DP World Tour membership. Currently, that number is four tournament appearances (excluding majors and WGCs). That has been understandable, and Pelley’s motivation clear. The presence of big names on the Race to Dubai standings adds a superficial prestige to the thing, even if close inspection revealed a house of scorecards riddled with metaphorically drivable and hazard-free par 4s. It is no coincidence that, in the nick of qualifying time, next week will be Morikawa’s fourth regular start of the 2020-21 season.

But no criticism of the former PGA champion is implied here. The personable Californian is far from alone in attending European Tour events only sporadically. Seven of the top 11 players on the “RtoD” have played fewer than 11 counting events. And of those, only Horschel, who has made 10 official appearances, made the effort to attend (and win) the tour’s flagship event: the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth. The others apparently had something better to do, the prospect of enhancing their chances of a Vardon Trophy triumph more a tasteless lettuce than a juicy carrot.

Still, the future looks brighter. Early doubts that the evolution of the European Tour’s strategic alliance with the PGA Tour would be more likely to enhance the stature of the latter at the expense of the former have been appeased. Like we said, money talks. Now let’s hope more big names start listening more often. If nothing else, the Vardon Trophy deserves a greater level of attention.

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McIlroy aims for Montgomerie’s record after fifth European order of merit win

• World No 2 claims title after Meronk falls out of race at Nedbank
• McIlroy now three wins behind Montgomerie’s eight titles

Rory McIlroy has won his fifth European order of merit title and now has his eyes fixed on the record set by Colin Montgomerie. McIlroy took the crown – named the Race to Dubai – after Adrian Meronk fell short of the third-place finish he required at the Nedbank Challenge in South Africa to keep the season-long race alive going into the final event in Dubai next weekend. McIlroy’s advantage is an unassailable one; he adds the 2023 title to wins in 2012, 2014, 2015 and 2022.

“Winning the Race to Dubai title for the fifth time is an incredible honour and another important milestone in my career,” said McIlroy. “Capturing the Ryder Cup in Rome was a highlight this year and adding this title makes it all the more special.”

Not lost on McIlroy, however, is that Montgomerie ruled Europe eight times. “I still have distance to cover to reach Colin’s tally in the order of merit,” McIlroy said. “That inspires me to give my best in the upcoming years.”

McIlroy’s appearance on the Earth Course in Dubai from Thursday will be his first since that Ryder Cup, where he was integral to European glory . McIlroy was also at the centre of an epic spat with Joe LaCava , Patrick Cantlay’s caddie, which rumbled into a car park at the end of the second day’s play.

McIlroy began his year by seeing off Patrick Reed to take the Dubai Desert Classic. He later won the Scottish Open in thrilling style, with local favourite Robert MacIntyre pipped in East Lothian. Top-10 finishes in three of golf’s four majors also pushed him towards the order of merit title.

At the Nedbank in Sun City, Max Homa posted a final-round 66 for his first win outside the US. Homa saw off Nicolai Højgaard by four strokes.

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“It’s just been tremendous to get to travel to a new place and meet so many amazing people,” Homa said. “The fans have been amazing, everyone has been so welcoming and kind. To be granted the opportunity to even be here I was truly grateful for, but to come out with a trophy is just cherry on top.” Meronk finished in a tie for 15th. Justin Thomas, on a rare DP World Tour start, was fourth.

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Clark Dennis claims European Senior Tour Order of Merit victory

By Sky Sports Golf

Sunday 10 December 2017 15:37, UK

Thaworn Wiratchant won his first European Senior Tour title at the season-ending MCB Tour Championship, as Clark Dennis secured the Order of Merit title.

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The Thai star fired a 10-under 62 in Mauritius to cruise to an eight-stroke victory over nearest challenger Mark McNulty, with the overnight joint-leader a further four strokes back in third.

Miguel Angel Martin posted a three-under 69 to grab fourth spot, while Dennis' tied-fifth finish - his seventh top-five in 14 starts this season - saw him top the season-long money standings.

"I'm so happy to win," said Wiratchant. "My tee shots were great all week that really helped me win here. I felt really comfortable on this golf course.

Beginning the day tied for the lead, Wiratchant carded three consecutive birdies from the second and cancelled out a blemish at the fifth with three gains over his next four holes.

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Back-to-back birdies from the 13th extended the 50-year-old's lead, before Wiratchant picked up another shot at the 17th with a final-hole eagle to match Jarmo Sandelin's course record from earlier in the day.

McNulty closed his five-under 67 with birdies over his last two holes, as Fowler slipped down the leaderboard with five bogeys in a six-hole stretch on his way to a two-over74.

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Four birdies in his first five holes helped Dennis to a closing 67, with the American receiving the 2017 Rookie of the Year award as well as the John Jacobs Trophy.

"This year couldn't have ended any better," said Dennis. "To be the first American to win the John Jacobs Trophy feels fantastic. I couldn't have asked for anything more.

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Fowler claims European Senior Tour Order of Merit

12.07am 12th December 2011 - People

Australian Peter Fowler held off the challenge of former Ryder Cup player Barry Lane to win the European Senior Tour Order of Merit following a dramatic final day of the 2011 season at the MCB Tour Championship in Mauritius.

Fowler fought back from consecutive double bogeys on the fifth and sixth holes at Constance Belle Mare Plage to finish the season-finale in seventh position, his 13th top ten of a remarkably consistent campaign.

That was enough for him to end the year as Senior Tour Number One and lift the John Jacobs Trophy ahead of Lane, who was two shots back in a share of ninth.

Fowler, who succeedsThailand’s Boonchu Ruangkit, is the third Australian to win the prestigious John Jacobs Trophy, following Noel Ratcliffe in 2000 and Ian Stanley in 2001.

The 52 year old’s cheque for €14, 814 took his earnings for 2011 to €302,327, meaning he finished the Senior Tour’s 20th anniversary season €32,154 clear of runner up Lane in the Order of Merit.

“It was a great tussle with Barry who also had two wins this season,” said Fowler, who suffered a career-threatening back injury in 2009. “Fortunately when he had those two wins I finished second and third so I managed to stay close enough. The more the year went on, the more exhausted I was. Then I suffered some back problems again inPortugalin October so I was battling through towards the end of the season and it was good to see the job through.”

After struggling for two years with a disc problem in his back which happened in practice before his Senior Tour debut, Fowler won twice in 2011, capturing his maiden Senior Tour title in the ISPS Handa Senior World Championship in June before coming from seven shots back on the final day to win the Bad Ragaz PGA Seniors Open in Switzerland the following month.

He was also runner up in the ISPS Handa Senior World Championship presented byMission HillsChinaand the Casa Serena Open and tied second in the Van Lanschot Senior Open.

In total he finished inside the top ten in 13 of his 18 appearances in 2011, with nine of those inside the top five.

“I’ve played pretty solid and pretty consistent this year and been in there most weeks,” said Fowler. “I still feel I have room for improvement though. There’s a lot of good players out here who I’m still learning from –Sam Torrance, Carl Mason and Ian Woosnam – they play so well and I have to pick the bits of their game and add them to mine.

“After the struggles that I’ve had over the years this really does mean a lot to me. It’s great to beat all of these great champions on the Senior Tour.”

Fowler played 519 events on The European Tour events in a career spanning 25 years, winning once in the 1993 BMW International Open when he held off Major Champions Ian Woosnam and Bernhard Langer. His best finish on the Order of Merit was 22nd in 1989, the year he also won the World Cup forAustraliawhen he partnered Wayne Grady.

He joined the Senior Tour in 2009 and struggled initially with his back injury, finishing 76th on the Order of Merit that season after playing just four events. The injury sidelined him for 12 months but he returned to finish 29th last year and after a winter of hard gym work, Fowler returned stronger and began the season with a share of  fifth in the ISPS Handa Australian Senior Open before only finishing outside the top ten five times in 18 events.

“The Order of Merit is across a 21 tournament stretch so it shows a high level of consistency,” he said. “I have to admit when Barry won inScotlandin August and people started talking about the Order of Merit it became quite gruelling. I knew, though, that if I stayed on my game I’d have a chance.”

Lane, who was the first person to congratulate Fowler on his triumph, also won twice in 2011, successfully defending the Cleveland Golf/Srixon Scottish Senior Open in August before winning his third Senior Tour title the following month at the Casa Serena Open.

He recorded six top five finishes in total and nine top ten finishes, ending the year with earnings of €271,173

“I was a bit aggressive toward the end today but I gave it my best and it was a great season,” said Lane. “It was great to be in contention for the John Jacobs Trophy. Peter has had a great year and he works so hard so it’s great for him to win the trophy. I really am pleased for him”

Andrew Oldcorn finished third in the Order of Merit on €188, 981 while Englishman Gary Wolstenholme moved past former Masters Champion Ian Woosnam into fourth position with earnings of €181,636.

Former Walker Cup Player Wolstenholme sealed the Rookie of the Year Award following nine top ten finishes in his first full season on the Senior Tour.

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Delacour Clinches Playoff Win at Dormy Open Helsingborg

Yuka saso emotional after securing second major title at 79th u.s. women’s open.

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• Perrine Delacour defeats amateur Helen Briem in a playoff
• Frenchwoman moves up to 12th in the Order of Merit

Perrine Delacour secured her maiden Ladies European Tour (LET) victory winning in a one-hole playoff over German amateur Helen Briem. At the end of 54 holes, the duo were tied on 11-under-par and headed back to the 18th for the playoff.

Briem hit her tee shot into the rough on the right, as Delacour striped it in the middle of the fairway at Allerum Golf Club. The Frenchwoman made the green in two and rolled in her birdie putt to clinch her maiden title on the LET.

“The final round was definitely stressful,” said Delacour. “I made a little mistake looking at the leaderboard on 15 and made a bogey. I made two birdies to finish to get into the playoff and then a birdie to finish it off was pretty awesome.

“I had more experience, the fact that I’m a professional. It was actually my first playoff! I played it like match play, and it seemed to work out. I am speechless.”

Delacour sat in a share of third place overnight on six-under-par after producing rounds of 68 (-4) and 70 (-2) on the first two days. The 30-year-old, who is an LET rookie, made a bogey on the third hole before rolling in an eagle on the fifth. She made further birdies on seven, 12 and 14 before dropping a shot on 15 but then made birdies on 17 and 18 to reach a total of 11-under-par.

Delacour continued: “I came to the LET for Solheim Cup for sure, but it’s nice to have two cards and to jump around. This week I was not in the U.S. Open, so to be able to play on the LET when I can, is great.

“It’s definitely nice to have the opportunity and now that I know it’s opened some doors to the Scottish Open and the AIG Women’s Open. I’m happy about it because I had a rough start on the LPGA this year, but with this win that helps a lot.”

After her win, the Frenchwoman sent a message to her family and read messages of her support and she can’t wait to see her niece and nephew tomorrow. The new LET winner added: “I haven’t been able to watch all of the messages. They always support me, my family. They’re my number one fans. It’s pretty good because tomorrow morning I get to see my niece and nephew and they will see the trophy; they will be so happy.

“I always call them at least once a week to see them growing. It’s going to be really nice tomorrow morning – even if they wake me up super early, I don’t care. I will take all of their energy for the couple of hours I am with them.”

Amateur Briem, who is a two-time PING Junior Solheim Cup winner, fired the round of the week with a 64 (-8) on the final day. The German made her first birdies on five and six before dropping her only shot of the day on the seventh. Briem made back-to-back birdies on eight and nine with another on 11 before finishing in style with four birdies in her final four holes to set the clubhouse lead on 11-under-par.

“If you roll some putts in and you get a run going and you get into the flow, that’s what happened especially on the back nine,” said the teenager.

“I even missed some very short birdie putts, so there were even more birdie opportunities. Overall, I’m really happy with eight-under.

“Even though I definitely did not play my best on the first two days, which were okay but nothing more. To be in contention is great and gives me a lot of confidence for the future.”

Denmark’s Nicole Broch Estrup and India’s Pranavi Urs finished in a share of third place on 10-under-par. It was a final round of 68 (-4) for Broch Estrup, who had plenty of support on the sidelines from family and friends.

“Once again, I’m not completely in control. To be honest, I hit a couple of really bad shots especially of the tee today,” said the 2015 Helsingborg Open champion.

“But I managed to get it around and then on the back nine I played really solid. I had a few opportunities and I’m really proud of myself for the back nine I played today.

“I was very nervous. I woke up at 5am this morning. Just to get myself through the last two days has been really nice and I’m proud of that and to do it in front of a lot of family and friends, who came over to watch me, makes it even sweeter.

“It’s so nice, I’m almost crying talking about having them here. It means a lot to me that they want to make the effort to come over and watch me do what I do.”

Three players finished in a tie for fifth place with Australia’s Kirsten Rudgeley, Sweden’s Johanna Gustavsson and England’s Cara Gainer all on nine-under-par. Belgium’s Manon De Roey and Spain’s Mireia Prat were one shot further back in a share of eighth place.

England’s Annabell Fuller, India’s Tvesa Malik and Germany’s Patricia Isabel Schmidt ended the week in T10.

In the LET Order of Merit, England’s Bronte Law still sits at the top of the standings and now has 1,270.15 points with Alexandra Försterling in second place. Belgium’s De Roey closed the gap slightly in third place and now has 1,122.17 points with Broch Estrup moving up to 10th place, Urs into 11th and after her win Delacour is in 12th place.

Next up for the LET is the Volvo Car Scandinavian Mixed which takes place at Vasatorps Golfklubb between June 6-9, 2024.

Follow all the action throughout the tournament season on our socials – @LETgolf on  Instagram , TikTok and  X , and Ladies European Tour on  YouTube  and  Facebook  – #RaiseOurGame #DormyOpenHelsingborg.

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Challenge Tour Order of Merit leader Neergaard-Petersen is one to watch

W ith the 2024 Challenge Tour already 10 events through its 29 tournament schedule – let’s have a profile look as well as see how Rasmus Neergaard-Petersen, the current Road to Mallorca leader and winner of the UAE Challenge held last month at Saadiyat Beach Golf Club is progressing.

The goal of the DP World Tour’s Development Tour – the Challenge Tour, is to provide a pathway for golfers to advance up the global golfing ladder. Players to have historically come through the Challenge Tour over the years include Dubai-based players Tommy Fleetwood and Nicolas Colsaerts, as well as Justin Rose and most recently Matteo Manassero.

Twenty-four-year-old Neergaard-Petersen, who is from Denmark, is also 160th in the current Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR). Last year in just nine events on the Challenge Tour he finished in 64th place.

He finished his collegiate career at Oklahoma State less than a year ago and after representing his country in the amateur game, he helped the International team win the 2022 Arnold Palmer Cup while studying in the United States.

He joins a long line of 'Pokes' to make their way in the professional game. In his debut event on a sponsor’s invite at the 2023 BMW International, he came tied seventh, three shots back of the champion Thriston Lawrence (RSA) earning a cheque for €47,197.85.

Neergaard-Petersen’s largest purse to date is at the 2023 Alfred Dunhill Links Championship where he tied 22nd to take home a cheque for €50,120.14.

His most recent tournament was last week at the Danish Golf Challenge in his home country, where he finished tied sixth on 14 under par.

This year he has had two victories on the Challenge Tour so far: in the Kolkata Challenge in India in March, as well as at Saadiyat Beach Golf Club in the UAE Challenge, where he has rounds of 65, 72, 70 and 67, to take the top place and a cheque for €44,752.94 and 320 Order of Merit points.

He also came tied for 7th in the Abu Dhabi Challenge at Al Ain Equestrian, Shooting and Golf Club, the week before his win in the UAE capital.

“I couldn’t have wished for a better start to the season. A big goal of mine this year was to win, so having done that twice already is exceeding expectations,” said Neergaard-Petersen. “A new goal is to win a third time – but it is tough to win.”

He looks to be the outstanding player of the Class of 2024 on the Challenge Tour with a dominating lead of over 400 points from second-placed John Parry (Eng).

The goal of all the Challenge Tour players is to be in the top 20 at the season's end – who all gain their DP World Tour privileges for the 2025 season.

The other option to gain promotion to the DP World Tour by winning three times in a season on the Challenge Tour.

He would join the likes of Eduardo Molinari (2009), Brooks Koepka (2013), Aaron Rai (2017) and last week’s winner of the Soudal Open in Belgium, Nacho Elvira (2015).

We will be watching the UAE Challenge winner on how he continues his 2024 season.

(after the Danish Golf Challenge, Sunday 27th May, 2024):

Rasmus Neergaard-Petersen (Den) 1021.19.

John Parry (Eng) 602.12.

Joel Moscatel (Spain) 523.01.

Alexander Levy (Fr) 501.20.

Michael Lindberg (Swe) 461.77.

Rhys Enoch (Wales) 409.40

Robert MacIntyre captures Canadian Open with dad as caddie

HAMILTON, Ontario — Robert MacIntyre captured his first PGA Tour win at the RBC Canadian Open on Sunday with a final-round 68, finishing at 16-under-par.

As he sank his par putt on the 18th to clinch the title by one, thunderous applause ensued. He embraced his dad, Dougie, who was his caddie this week.

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As MacIntyre waved to the crowd, tears streamed down his face. Scotland fans cheered with pride from the gallery as the native son won. One spectator started singing, “No Scotland no party,” waving a Scottish flag.

MacIntyre, a PGA Tour rookie, became the third Scottish-born golfer to win the Canadian Open.

“I’m speechless,” MacIntyre said on CBS. “It’s just everything for me and my family.”

When CBS’ Amanda Balionis asked Dougie, a greenskeeper back home, the meaning of this moment, he began crying.

“Unbelievable,” Dougie said. “I’m a grass cutter,” before struggling to speak, overwhelmed with emotion.

"I want to win this for my dad." ❤️ Robert MacIntyre spoke to our @Amanda_Balionis on what it meant winning the @RBCCanadianOpen with his father on the bag. pic.twitter.com/DCeQU878GI — Golf on CBS ⛳ (@GolfonCBS) June 2, 2024

Dougie was MacIntyre’s fourth caddie change in the last 18 months. Robert called it an “emergency phone call” last Saturday, offering his dad the chance to caddie for him this week.

“How would you fancy coming to Canada and caddie for me?” Dougie recalls his son asking him.

The next morning, Dougie said he got a direct flight to Toronto. He and Robert had to fly to Ottawa Monday night to get a work visa. Dougie said he didn’t get back to Hamilton until Tuesday night.

MacIntyre had nine holes of preparation — the back nine — before teeing it up Thursday. A week later, MacIntyre won Canada’s national open — a tournament with illustrious past winners like Arnold Palmer, Lee Trevino, Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy.

“So over the moon, I can’t actually believe it,” Dougie said. “I caddied my son and he won the Canadian Open.”

MacIntyre bogeyed the first hole, which brought several golfers closer to the lead. With Rory McIlroy and Tom Kim making Sunday charges and Canadian Mackenzie Hughes birdieing three of his first four holes, MacIntyre’s lead dwindled. MacIntyre and Hughes were tied for the lead at one point on the front nine.

But Hughes bogeyed Nos. 5 and 9. McIlroy and Kim ran out of holes. MacIntyre responded to his bogey on the first with birdies on Nos. 4, 7 and 8. He made the turn leading by three. He sank a 21-foot birdie putt on No. 11 — the most difficult hole on the course — and gave a convincing fist pump.

It wasn’t all straightforward for MacIntyre on the back side. He hit his tee shot on the 12th in the water hazard, resulting in a bogey. On the par-3 13th, known as “The Rink” hole for a hockey-board-style setup around the tee box, MacIntyre hit his tee shot left of the pin, which trickled down the slope into the rough. He left his chip shot short and couldn’t make the par save, leading to a second-consecutive bogey.

With MacIntyre on No. 15, he had a one-shot lead over Frenchman Victor Perez, who shot a bogey-free 64. But that quickly changed when MacIntyre striped his lob wedge to five feet from the hole. He sank the birdie and sealed the win. American Ben Griffin finished second at 15-under-par.

It’s been a year of change for MacIntyre, who moved to Orlando, Fla. when he got his PGA Tour Card. The 27-year-old was candid about the difficulty adjusting to life on the PGA Tour . MacIntyre leaned on other DP World Tour golfers, like Ryan Fox, who are dealing with a similar transition.

“We’re all competitive,” MacIntyre said. “We’re all wanting to beat the hell out of each other when we’re on the golf course, but I think off the golf course it’s a lot more tightknit.”

MacIntyre credited his resilience this week and not putting expectations on himself. Asked what he learned about himself, MacIntyre said he had “a hell of a fight in me.”

“I’ve been working hard, really hard, on the mental side of the game because once we picked apart my game of golf, we realized that the game of golf isn’t the problem. I’m the problem,” MacIntyre said in the champion news conference. “I’ve worked really hard at that with my team and I’ve said it probably for the last four or five weeks that the mental side’s so important to me.

Leader by FIVE! @Robert1Lefty is fired up 🔥 pic.twitter.com/dBvpfbCqAc — PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) June 2, 2024

MacIntyre shot four rounds in the 60s (64-66-66-68). With the win, MacIntyre qualifies for the remaining two signature events of the year on the PGA Tour: the Memorial Tournament and the Travelers Championship.

MacIntyre turned pro in 2017. He earned his card on the DP World Tour in 2019 after he finished 12th in the Challenge Tour Order of Merit. MacIntyre has two DP World Tour victories, the Aphrodite Hills Cyprus Showdown (2020) and the DS Automobiles Italian Open (2022).

MacIntyre’s prominence grew after losing by a shot at his home tournament, the Scottish Open, in 2023 to McIlroy, after shooting a final-round 64. He also was on Team Europe at the 2023 Ryder Cup, where he went 2-0-1, including a Sunday singles victory over 2023 U.S. Open champion Wyndham Clark.

In addition to MacIntyre’s win Sunday, he has three top-10 finishes on the PGA Tour in 2024.

Required reading

• PGA Championship contender Robert MacIntyre credits ‘happy Bob’ mindset for good golf
• C.T. Pan uses fan, 2 other caddies after ‘Fluff’ Cowan takes fall at PGA Tour event

(Photo of Robert, left, and Dougie MacIntyre: Minas Panagiotakis / Getty Images)

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Lukas Weese is a Staff Editor of News at The Athletic. Before The Athletic, Lukas was a freelance sports journalist, working as an associate editor at Sportsnet, an OHL reporter for the Toronto Star and had bylines in outlets such as ESPN's Andscape, USA Today, Complex, Yahoo Sports, GOLF Magazine, Just Women's Sports and Raptors Republic. Lukas also does freelance play-by-play broadcasting. Follow Lukas on Twitter @ Weesesports

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Saudi Arabia to host World Rally Championship from 2025

It marks wrc’s return to the middle east for the first time since the 2011 jordan rally.

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Embracing the bright side: A guide on how to cultivate optimism

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Published: Sat 1 Jun 2024, 11:05 PM

The Saudi Arabian Ministry of Sport on Saturday announced that the Kingdom will stage Rally Saudi Arabia, as a round of the FIA World Rally Championship (WRC) from 2025 onwards.

The event will be organised by the Saudi Motorsport Company (SMC) and the Saudi Automobile and Motorcycle Federation (SAMF), under the supervision of the Ministry of Sports and in collaboration with the World Rally Championship.

The ground-breaking, 10-year agreement was signed in the presence of Prince Khalid Bin Sultan Al Abdullah Al-Faisal, Chairman of the Saudi Automobile and Motorcycle Federation and the Saudi Motorsport Company, Jona Siebel, WRC Managing Director, and FIA Secretary General for Sport, Valerio Iachizzi, at a special ceremony in Sardinia during the WRC Rally Italia Sardegna.

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The deal to stage Rally Saudi Arabia signifies the WRC’s return to the Middle East for the first time since the 2011 Jordan Rally.

As a current host of Formula 1, Formula E, Dakar Rally and Extreme E, the confirmation of WRC’s arrival in Saudi Arabia continues to showcase the Kingdom as the new home for global, prestige motorsport events in the Middle East.

"This is a great moment for motorsport in the Middle East. It has been over a decade since the FIA World Rally Championship (WRC) last visited the region, and from my own experience, I know very well the unique challenges that the drivers and co-drivers will face when Rally Saudi Arabia gets underway in 2025," FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem said.

"It's going to be a great opportunity for national and regional drivers to showcase their talents on the world stage, and I am very thankful to HRH Prince Khalid Bin Sultan Al Abdullah Al-Faisal, Chairman of the Saudi Motorsport Company & the Saudi Automobile & Motorcycle Federation, for continuing to push forward and develop our sport in Saudi Arabia," he added.

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