Marc Warren’s been famously close to winning the Aberdeen Asset Management Scottish Open before, but these were highly unique circumstances.
In 2012 he lost from a winning position, and in 2014 was tied for the lead going into the final round but couldn’t keep up with Justin Rose. Yesterday, the home hope posted his brilliant 64 in the wind at 2.50 pm, setting the 10-under target in the clubhouse and then sitting back to wait. And wait some more.
Three hours into his long vigil he took a nap for half an hour – his circumstances had actually improved, as the wind stiffened across the hill and the leaders out on the course struggled with the most difficult conditions of the week. Warren was just one shot behind Raphael Jacquelin who was barely hanging on down the back nine.
Jacquelin faltered, but then came Matt Kuchar’s birdie at the long 16th, and shortly afterwards Rickie Fowler followed suit. Not until four hours and five minutes after he signed his card did Warren know he wasn’t winning his national title.
“I was imagining getting it to -13, if I was to have a chance,” he said of his furious final round, coming back in 30 strokes with five birdies.
“Maybe birdie my way in or get an eagle at 16, but my game felt so good that it felt like that was actually a possibility.”
In the end another birdie at 18 would have been a shot light, but although he had 123 yards with his second shot and was “licking my lips, perfect gap wedge” he got a little too much spin on it. The birdie putt was aggressive at the hole, and looked good six feet out but burned the lip on its way by.
“Most of all I was just keeping myself thinking about going forward all the time, as opposed to taking my foot off the gas,” he continued. “I felt as if I had a good round in me, try to get a Top 10 out of today. Seeing a few putts going in from the eight to 12 foot range was good.
“My game is feeling really, really comfortable, so that’s all you can ask for going into a major. And I have another top three finish in my home open which is something I’m really proud of.”
Russell Knox’s run at his national title didn’t quite happen either, two bogeys on the front nine and a double at the 11th costing him his chance to challenge.
He rallied for a 71 in the end, and a top 10 finish on eight-under.
Paul Lawrie battled against a groin problem all week but felt it might have helped him swing within himself, as he shot a final round par 70 to finish on 7-under, a tie for 16th.
“There were a lot of positives to take from this week,” he said. “I didn’t hole my fair share of putts but I don’t suppose 14th or 15th is miles away from what I deserve.
“It’s definitely positive for next week. It was quite funny that today was the first day that my groin was not sore and I drove it terribly.
“It is amazing how when you are not feeling 100% that you tend to swing a bit easier. That is when I play my best golf, when I take a bit of power off it and I just try to hit it down the fairway.”