FacebookPinterestGregory ShamusRafa Cabrera-Bello of Spain celebrates victory on the first playoff hole of the Scottish Open. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)

TROON, Scotland — In the end, victory in the Aberdeen Asset Management Scottish Open belonged to Rafa Cabrera-Bello. To the Spaniard went the title, the $1,166,660 first-place check and a massive confidence boost going into this week’s Open Championship at Royal Birkdale. But everything else—mostly sympathy—was owned by the runner-up, Callum Shinkwin.
The record book will say that Cabera-Bello shot a closing eight-under 64 over the Dundonald Links, the low round of the tournament, to first reach 13 under par, then beat the 24-year-old Englishman with a birdie at the first hole of sudden death.
But that isn’t really the story.
Playing the final hole in regulation—a 586-yard par 5—Shinkwin was left of the putting surface in two shots, with a bunker between him and the flag. The lie didn’t look great and neither did the resul..

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