OWINGS MILLS, Md. – Robert MacIntyre showed his mettle when facing the world number 1 on Saturday, making impressive putts for par and culminating in a 40-foot birdie on the final hole, securing a 68 (-2) and a four-stroke lead over Scottie Scheffler at the BMW Championship.Scheffler, for his part, recovered a stroke from the five he had at a disadvantage at the beginning of the hot afternoon in Caves Valley, although he never managed to get within three strokes.The Scottish golfer, MacIntyre, overcame several difficult situations, including a drive that took him into the bushes on the short hole number five. He decided to get out with a risky shot, leaving the ball about 70 feet away for a downhill putt.Despite the pressure, he holed out for par, demonstrating his determination in front of a large gallery that supported the champion of the British Open, Scheffler.MacIntyre, after sinking an eight-foot putt on the 14th hole, went to a hospitality area and put his index finger to his mouth, silencing those who were trying to disturb him.With a total of 16 under par (194), MacIntyre prepares for another day of competition with the best golfers in the world. Scheffler, for his part, managed to break a streak of 37 holes without a bogey and completed a round of 67, his sixteenth consecutive under par on the tour, the fifth longest streak since 1970.
Other contenders
Ludvig Åberg, the young Swede, also joined the fray, emerging from an apparent summer slumber with a round of 68, placing himself alone in third place, six strokes behind MacIntyre.No other player came within eight strokes of the leader.The BMW Championship is the penultimate postseason event that defines the top 30 players in the FedEx, who will advance to the Tour Championship, where they will compete for a prize of $10 million.Akshay Bhatia improved his chances with an outstanding day that included a hole-in-one on the 17th hole, winning a car and projecting himself into the top 30. In addition, he holed out with a wedge on the seventh hole, achieving an eagle.Harry Hall of England, ranked 45th in the FedEx Cup, shot his second consecutive round of 67, tying for fourth place with Sam Burns (67). Hall is projected to reach East Lake for the first time and secure his participation in all majors except the PGA Championship.
Scheffler is aiming for his fifth victory of the year, which would make him the first player since Tiger Woods to win at least five times in consecutive years. He hasn’t had a round over par since the third round of the Travelers Championship almost two months ago.MacIntyre proved to be up to the challenge. He made five putts for par from a distance of between 5 and 8 feet, had a couple of putts for birdie from under 6 feet, and finished his day with a celebration after a 40-foot birdie putt.I only have one job to do, and that is to recover, hydrate, and prepare for the first tee shot on the fairway tomorrow.
Harry Hall
