Aberdeen Standard Investments Scottish Open... final leaderboard Leaderboard
I've spent this morning, in fact most of the week watching the drama unfold at this ASISO (Aberdeen Standard Investments Scottish Open), and like a good Agatha Christie "whodunnit'" we had to wait until the final putt, or in this case "missed putt" to reveal the result.
The Renaissance Club and the Aberdeen Standard Investments are the 2nd biggest winners this week. Reversing most of the two nines to feature the holes along the Firth of Forth on the finishing stretch provided panoramic views shot by TV around the world that will keep international travellers coming whenever that's possible again.
Californian type weather on Friday provided views that were typical of Pebble Beach and the Monterey Peninsula, then to no surprise for the local Scots, in complete contrast, the wildest weather Ian Poulter says he's ever played in moved in on Saturday, driving rain, howling wind, it was just about survival, scoring soared.
Today dawned calm, damp, overcast but the sun saved the day when it arose, the soft course suddenly became a birdie fest, none better than a relatively unknown young Englishman with Indian heritage, Aaron Rai who was 2nd last week at the Irish Open, continued that form with 70 69 70 64 -11, which gave him the clubhouse lead.
Marc Warren had Scottish hearts fluttering, (Monty bring the only Scot to win their national championship,) as he made 3 birdies and an eagle in 4 holes late in his round to get to -10, only to drive it into a terrible lie at the 18th resulting in a bogey.
Meanwhile with the day winding down, Tommy Fleetwood and Robert Rock were going neck and neck down the stretch.
Pick it up at the downwind par 5 16th, the easiest hole on the course today. Both were around the green in two, Tommy chipped to 2 1/2 feet then missed the gimme, only a par, still -10. Rock stubbed his chip leaving 12 feet and holed it for the birdie, now -11.
Pars at par3 17, then Tommy hit a great wedge approach 12 feet right over the pin at 18. Rock hit his approach fat, then played a clumsy chip well past the pin. Tommy stood up and holed the clutch birdie to get into a playoff with Rai at -11. Then Rock slumped to hands on knees as his par putt missed low to miss the playoff.
Final Act: Playing the 18th Rai took too much club and drove into a fairway bunker, Tommy's 3 wood was perfect. He then came up just short with his 9iron, but just off the green, Rai wedged out of the bunker then hit a sweet pitch from 50 feet down the fairway to 3 feet.
Tommy putted up to the same distance It was a 'good, good" gimme situation in our weekend matches. Not so for the Scottish title.
Rai made his calmly, Tommy, maybe with the 16th in mind, hit his low all the way, missed the hole all together, to hand a shocked Rai his first Rolex Series event, the Scottish Open and a $1m to go with it.
That made him the biggest winner of the day, and of another exhausting, exciting week in Scottish golf, keeping in mind Sophia Popov's emotional win in the wind and rain of Royal Troon a few week's ago in the Women's Open on the west coast.
Bryan Angus
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