'It sucks': Agonising Aussies blow $1.7m in a few hours

Australians Adam Scott and Stephanie Kyriacou have both fallen agonisingly short of winning big tournaments on Monday morning, coughing up a combined $1.7 million in prize money.

In thrilling finishes, Scott was pipped for the title at the Scottish Open while Kyriacou was denied a maiden major on the last hole of the Evian Championship.

For his efforts, Scott collected $1.4m from the $13 purse — with $2.4 paid out to the winner Robert MacIntyre — as Kyriacou pocketed $1.1 from the $11.8 purse and $1.8 was awarded to champion Ayaka Furue.

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MacIntyre claimed his national Open with a 22-foot birdie putt that fell on its last turn on the last hole for a 3-under 67 and a one-shot victory over Scott.

Two shots behind with three holes to play, MacIntyre was swearing up a storm when he saw his tee shot on the par-5 16th go into grass so deep he figured he would be able to advance it only 100 yards down the fairway.

Remarkably, under his stance in the deep grass was a sprinkler head.

After calling for the rules official, MacIntyre received the break of a lifetime, able to take a free drop into shorter grass that allowed him to slash a 6-iron from 248 yards that settled six feet away.

He made the eagle putt to tie Scott, who closed with a 67, then hit a pitching wedge into the 18th.

He dropped his putter when he saw the ball disappear, delivering a sweeping uppercut and as loud a yell as he could muster.

Scott was in the scoring room watching on television when MacIntyre made the winning putt. Scott – the 2013 Masters champion – was on the verge of ending four years without a victory.

He took solace from how he played in his first time contending this year.

“Feel like I’m playing at a high level,” Scott said.

“And you know, pleased for Bob. This is a big win. I played with him yesterday, and you can hear them singing. I think that’s awesome for him.”

Kyriacou was pipped after Furue of Japan made a late charge on Sunday.

On the last hole, Furue shot an eagle to clinch her first major title.

The 24-year-old Furue held her nerve with another clinical putt, having made three birdies in the previous four holes to finish on 19 under overall after posting a 6-under 65.

Furue finished one stroke ahead of Kyriacou (67), the overnight leader, and two ahead of Thailand’s Patty Tavatanakit — who made a superb 63 to move into contention for her second major.

Heading to the 18th hole Furue and Kyriacou were level at 17 under with Tavatanakit, who was already in the clubhouse.

Furue teed off well and found the fairway but Kyriacou’s shot swerved left into the rough.

Furue found the green with her second shot, giving her a championship shot and, moments later, she was doused with Champagne. Her previous best performance at a major was fourth at Evian in 2021.

It was only her second title on the LPGA Tour, the other coming at the Women’s Scottish Open in 2022 when she rallied from a four-shot deficit.

The 23-year-old Kyriacou, who birdied the 18th, also secured her best result. Her previous best was a tie for seventh at the Women’s British Open two years ago.

“It sucks not to hold the trophy, but if you’d told me I would come second at the start of the week, I would’ve been happy,” she said.

“A lot of stuff worked well for me this week, so just trying to keep the same mindset going forward and hopefully I can win.”

Overnight, Kyriacou was one stroke ahead of Furue and Coughlin, who tied for third at the Chevron Championship for her best major result.

Coughlin birdied the ninth hole to move to 17 under and take a one-stroke lead from Kyriacou, who missed a straightforward birdie chance after appearing to be bothered by an insect.

But Kyriacou birdied the 15th to move level with Coughlin. Furue was gaining momentum now, sinking back-to-back birdies from the edge of the green on the 14th and 15th.

Her approach to the 16th hole gave her another birdie chance and she took it to stay one behind Kyriacou, who also birdied, and Tavatanakit, who eagled the 18th.

Kyriacou and Coughlin struggled on the approach to the green on the 311-yard 17th hole and both bogeyed.

Furue almost made another brilliant long birdie, which would have given her the outright lead. Instead, she went to the final hole level with Kyriacou and Tavatanakit.