The two young Scots had their chances on a dreich final day of the Betfred British Masters but fell away as tour veteran Richard Bland won his first title at 48.
Robert MacIntyre and Calum Hill shared the lead early in the final round but both had troubles around the turn at The Belfry and eventually had to settle for one-under 71s for 10-under total, leaving them tied for eighth.
Bland, in his 478th tour event, became the oldest first-time winner in European Tour history after a final round 66.
Young Italian Guido Migliozzi – half Bland’s age at 24 – tied with the veteran after 72 holes on 13-under but three-putted the first play-off hole to give Bland the win.
Best start possible for both Scots
The perfect start for Bob MacIntyre 🎯#BetfredBritishMasters pic.twitter.com/sCEj10hXIG
— The European Tour (@EuropeanTour) May 15, 2021
MacIntyre and Hill got off to the best possible, claiming a share of the lead after the first three holes, both picking up birdies at the second and third.
However both became becalmed, although they had their chances on the front half. MacIntyre was hugely unlucky to see his perfect tee shot at the short seventh land right at the foot of the flag and rebound down to the slope near the water.
There was some justice when he got up and down for a par. But the eight-footer on the first was the longest putt he made on the front nine. The three-putt to the tricky tucked pin at the ninth set him back on his heels.
He went for the green on the 10th but ended up on the bank. He duffed it from there into the second right-hand bunker and didn’t get up and down for back-to-back bogeys.
MacIntyre finished off with a birdie to at least get under par for the day, but ruefully reflected on his bad luck at the seventh.
‘Sometimes you’re the dog, sometimes you’re the lampost’
Golf can be cruel 😠
Terrible break for MacIntyre on 7.#BetfredBritishMasters pic.twitter.com/lZfcyLN7Zy
— The European Tour (@EuropeanTour) May 15, 2021
“Sometimes you’re the dog, sometimes you’re the lampost,” he good-humouredly reflected. “I’d have been delighted with a top ten at the start of the week, but after this week I don’t feel the same.
“I’m hitting it great, I’m playing great. I just need a bit of luck. On 10, the ball stuck on a twig on the bank otherwise it would have run down into the bunker.
“Just little things that need to go for you and today they just didn’t go for me.”
Hill keeps fighting
Hill had chances for birdie at both the sixth and eighth as he looked solid tee to green on the front nine. But he too three-putted the ninth for his first mistake of the day.
He too found the steep right-hand bank at the 10th, and then thinned his chip through the green. But he made the 20 foot return putt for a birdie to keep his hopes alive.
Maybe not the day they were looking for but still a week with loads of positives ending with top 10s at #BetfredBritishMasters for Calum and Bob 👏🏽👏🏽
T8 @CalumHill_golf -10
T8 @robert1lefty -10Well done to @EuropeanTour and @Danny_Willett on a brilliant week 👏🏽👏🏽
⛳🇬🇧🏌🏼♂️😎 pic.twitter.com/Ns9RWehDN3
— Bounce (@bouncespmgt) May 15, 2021
However a five at the 11th and two in a greenside bunker at the 13th left him with too much to do to stay in the chase. He did birdie 15 and 18 to finish in a tie for ninth with MacIntyre.
“It was a good way to finish, that was nice,” he said. “The score didn’t reflect how I played today. I played a lovely game of golf, hit it fantastic, gave myself lots of chances.
“Just two three putts and a little misfortune at the 13th when I didn’t need it. But I gave myself every chance to win a tournament today, so that was good.
“At 13 I’ve caught it just a groove low. It’s 143 and realistically I shouldn’t be able to get a wedge there. Some of these greens have a bit of bounce and it’s bounced pin-high into the bunker.
“Then I need to get up and down to stay in it. I risked the shot I needed to play to to that, and it left it in.”