What's Not to Like About Bobby MacIntyre? My Pick to Defend at the Scottish Open
His approach was money. Stiffed twelve feet from the pin. His putt rolled like it was on a string and when it dropped to the bottom of the cup, that roar from those Scottish fans sent goose bumps up and down my arms.
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MacIntyre, the Scot, not only won his country's national championship but also became only the second Scot to win multiple PGA Tour events in one season. The legendary Sandy Lyle was the first back in 1988.
That single moment captures everything I love about watching this guy play golf. MacIntyre wears his heart on his sleeve. He celebrates like he actually means it. And somehow, in a sport filled with guys who sound like they've been coached by the same media training robot, he still feels real.
The moment that I really fell for this lovable Scot was at the 2024 RBC Canadian Open. MacIntyre's win, his first PGA Tour event with his dad Dougie on the bag, was a certified magical moment. Not some superstar caddie — his dad, who cuts grass at Glencruitten Golf Club back in Oban, on his bag. I mean, come on. That's the stuff that reminds us all why we fell in love with this game.
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"If in doubt, phone Dad," MacIntyre said afterward. I mean, seriously. Try finding that kind of authenticity anywhere else on tour these days.
This isn't some feel-good story about a nice guy who happens to be decent at golf. The man can absolutely golf his ball. He learned the game on those brutal Scottish courses where the wind never stops blowing and every shot is a puzzle.
He's not going to outdrive Bryson DeChambeau, but watch him work his way around a links course in a crosswind, and you'll see pure golf intelligence.
MacIntyre doesn't just happen to be Scottish — he is Scottish golf. All that grit, stubbornness and refusal to give up is precisely what being a Scot is all about. His runner-up finish at Oakmont this year? Seven shots back going into Sunday, only to shoot 2-under on that beast of a course to finish two behind J.J. Spaun. That's what happens when you've been grinding your entire life.
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The Ryder Cup performance at Marco Simone proved he's got the goods on the biggest stage. Went 2-0-1, including a singles win over Wyndham Clark that had European captain Luke Donald gushing about his "fearless approach." Trust me, Luke Donald doesn't gush about anything.
At 28, MacIntyre has undoubtedly hit that sweet spot. Old enough to know what he's doing, but still young enough to be hungry for more. His world ranking of 14th isn't some flash in the pan — it's been a steady climb from the Challenge Tour trenches.
Let's talk about his putting for a second because, as a PGA Professional and Coach, this is the kind of thing that gets me excited. Bobby used to be a weak putter, admittedly. Now? He is absolutely deadly on the greens. His iron play was always solid, but throw in this newfound putting confidence, especially in the wind that defines Scottish golf, and you've got a dangerous combination.
What really sells me on MacIntyre defending successfully this week is that he gets what this all means. He's not going to hide from the pressure or give you some boring "one shot at a time" nonsense; he knows it is going to be a grind. He wants to become the first player to win back-to-back Scottish Opens, and he's not afraid to say it.
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Golf can be somewhat sterile at times, and that's coming from a lifelong fan and industry veteran. There is often too much corporate polish, with too many players sounding like they're reading from the same script. MacIntyre's different. He's got skill, sure, but he's also got something that's become increasingly rare in professional sports: a genuine personality.
That's why I'm backing him to repeat this week. In a sport that desperately needs more characters, Bobby MacIntyre is exactly what golf needs more of.
Related: Scottish Open and The Open Championship Are Two Glorious Weeks Across the Pond
Related: LPGA Tour Enters Pivotal Three-Week European Stretch
Related: Gary Player Reflects on Royal Portrush's Return to The Open Championship
This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jul 9, 2025, where it first appeared.
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USA Today
an hour ago
- USA Today
This Max Homa interview on celebrities, his bachelor party, Chipotle and so much more will remind you why you love him
Let's face it, these are trying times for Max Homa. The six-time PGA Tour winner reached as high as No. 5 in the world, but has now slipped out of the Official World Golf Ranking top 100. After playing in 21 consecutive majors, he's now missing his second straight, as he failed to qualify for the Open at Royal Portrush. He has a new caddie after splitting with childhood friend Joe Greiner, and he recently opened up about the cesspool that social media can become, which is in contrast to the early portion of his career, where he made a name for himself by roasting the swings of others. And after a rough opening round at the 2025 Barracuda Championship, Homa stormed back Friday to make the cut at Tahoe Mountain Club's Old Greenwood course with eight birdies, including five in his last seven holes. Rico Hoey led the event after two days of play with plus 26 while Homa entered the weekend at plus 14. But despite his struggles, Homa has remained one of the game's most insightful players, a genuine interviewee who thoughtfully answers every question lobbed his way in the media center. And while we don't typically publish interviews in their entirety, this exchange between Homa and reporters in advance of the Barracuda, this one seemed too precious to carve up. Thanks to PGA Tour communications for the entire transcript: Q. You played your college golf at Berkeley, Cal Berkeley, not too far from here, couple hours away. Did you have any experiences coming up to Lake Tahoe when you were in college? Any memories coming up in this area in that time period? MAX HOMA: No, never in college. I did come here for my bachelor party. Q. Oh, nice. Heck yeah. MAX HOMA: So memories are hazy, but... Q. We need to follow up on that. MAX HOMA: We got pictures. But yeah, we never golfed here. I did do a work outing last offseason at Edgewood, which was cool. That was my first time getting to play-play up here. No, it's very pretty. I guess last time I played this event it was at Montreux, so bit different location, but similar kind of vibe. It's a very special place in the country that I don't feel like a lot of people get to go to, but when you got here you think to yourself, why don't I come here more often? It's very peaceful. It's a very enjoyable place. Very thankful we get to come up here. Q. The Bachelor party, winter trip, summer? When did you guys come out? MAX HOMA: September. It was like a Labor Day. Q. You get on the boat? MAX HOMA: It was very nice. We had a plan to get on the boat, but everybody woke up and thought better of it. Yeah, no. But, no, it was fun. We stayed mostly at the house. We went down to South Lake Tahoe every night. It was a blast. We had like 15 of us. It was a lot of fun. Q. Shoutout to Shannon Kelly's fiance John actually had his party during the ACC last week. MAX HOMA: That's wild. Q. Shannon's dad was there. I can tell you by Sunday they looked like they were pretty bad by Sunday. Speaking of Edgewood though, tough back-to-back weeks of assignments for us. We were posted up at the American Sentry Championship last week. I know you had your eyes on it because I believe Charles Barkley name dropped you. I think you reached out to him after he shot an 81 often Friday. What's that relationship like and did you -- do you pay attention to that celebrity tournament every year? More: Max Homa calls social media a 'safe haven for a**holes,' says logging off was the right move MAX HOMA: Yeah, I'm lucky. I got quite a few friends who played in it. Chuck I think is the greatest dude in the world. He texts me after most every tournament so I was trying to reciprocate. He's playing so much better, so that was fun to watch. Baker plays. I text him. Chuck and Rob McElhenney played together, and so I'm friends with both of them. I keep my eye the most on Aaron Rogers. We talk a lot. We talk a lot golf. He's a golf junkie. He didn't get to play much at all leading up, but he said I think the Monday before he went up he went and played and played really well, so it was good that he showed up and kind of kept what trend going. I think he went 15, 15, 14. It was fun to watch them, man. People like Steph and just the athletes that we admire going to play a game that drives you insane. Getting to watch the Kelce Brothers suck is always funny. I mean, they're just the most likable people ever and they get on the golf course and they continue to be relatable. I don't know. You just get to see both their personality and competitive nature at the same time. I think that's just awesome. Q. What did you say with Chuck, you had the video of him, there were some expletives... MAX HOMA: Oh, yeah. Q. ... and you were like, one of us, man. You got to be careful with a hot mic around Barkley. MAX HOMA: He doesn't care about a hot mic, I promise you that. Q. Who is the best celebrity golfer you've ever played a round with? MAX HOMA: I mean, Aaron is a really good. I've never played with Steph. He's impressive. On the spot I'm blanking. I know there is more. But somebody who is really good, Alfonso Ribeiro is a phenomenal golfer. Q. He takes it very seriously. MAX HOMA: Yeah, he loves him some golf. I'm sure I'm missing a bunch. Q. You're good. MAX HOMA: I'd be curious -- Austin Reaves has a special place in my heart as a Laker. I've heard himself tout himself as the best golfing basketball player, so I would like to see his game. His swing is beautiful, so... Corey Kispert is a good player. Q. Shout out Gonzaga. MAX HOMA: Yeah, so there are some good ones. I need to see it all up close. Steph obviously gets the most accolades because he won the ACC and all that. Oh, Mardy Fish. He's a really good golfer. Q. We saw Mardy; the final round he had a cocktail on the turn. That told me, all right... MAX HOMA: Because Mardy takes it serious-serious, so if he's drinking that means he's packed it in. Q. Back to serious golf though. In your last few months and of course, and it's well documented, different caddies and you were carrying your bag at a Monday qualifier. Take us inside your head right now and what you're going through. MAX HOMA: Yeah, feels good. Game feels a lot better the last -- since about the Truist I saw some better signs. Didn't really put up any good results, but the game started to feel a lot better. It's hard because I'm not at The Open. Didn't get to play the U.S. Open either. So it's hard to kind of compartmentalize improvement without being I guess upset I'm not there. But at the same time, if I just put it in a vacuum I'm really happy where my game is right now. I played great at the John Deere. I've been playing well at home. So I'm finally seeing some sustained good golf. Driving it a lot better. The rest of my game has felt pretty decent all year. Just been the driver and the 3-wood. So it's been awesome the last two and a half weeks. So, yeah, it's just good to kind of keep bouncing around. We travel so much. So bounce city to city and keep playing and keep having the same swing. For the beginning it was quite tough, so I see the light, which is good. Q. Dial it in. MAX HOMA: Yeah. Q. Got you. When you look at this tournament, you're hovering near 100 in the standings. Do you look at this as a opportunity, okay, this is somewhere maybe I can get big points or more just focused on I just want to go out and play good golf? What is your goal, expectation for coming out here to Truckee this week? MAX HOMA: Yeah, I mean, I'm in that spot. I don't need to finish in the top 100 this year because I have exemptions. I'm focused on the 70 and 50 number. I added this event because -- well, you know, I thought I would be playing this week anyway. I didn't play last week in Scotland. So I just wanted to get another rep in and get some points. Just try to keep chipping away towards that 70 number to make the playoffs. Hopefully -- I would love -- my wife is very, very pregnant right now so really like to win one of the next two so I could skip an event coming up just so I could keep the stress level low in our household. But, yeah, just wanted to -- playing well. I wanted to just get some points in and work my way towards Memphis. Q. Get a W and then maybe, all right, now we can... MAX HOMA: Yeah, I got two missed calls from her yesterday and I was freaking out. I can't handle the stress right now. Q. I can relate because my wife is also very pregnant. MAX HOMA: Okay. Q. When are you guys due? MAX HOMA: We would be like the first week of August. Q. So we're first week of October so you're really close. MAX HOMA: Oh, no, I'm close, yeah. She's the one telling me to keep playing, so I'm still stressed out. Dude, I'm freaking out. I'm ready to have the baby and then get settled. I know it'll be chaos, but I want to make sure I'm there. Q. Speaking of chaos, I just watched last night an eight-minute Truth Or Putt interview you did with Druski sponsored by Dunkin' Donuts. That looked like a ton of fun. And also, recently released episode of Stick on Apple. You were in that episode. What's it like getting to taste that Hollywood side of things? MAX HOMA: Yeah, it's not exactly my bread and butter, but Druski is cool. It's always scary to meet people like him because that's how I felt about the Pardon My Take guys, Big Cat and PFT. They're such a massive part my life without knowing it. It's kind of the definition of never meet your heros. I think when people meet athletes that they don't end up liking they get upset. I get that, but it's a different mindset. Those people are entertainers and you want them to be cool and normal and Druski... Q. (Talking over one another.) I hope they like me. MAX HOMA: That's what I mean. Hope they're funny, and Druski lived up to that. He was awesome to be around. Yeah, getting to be around Owen Wilson was cool. We were talking. I'm 34. If you're a 34-year-old dude he's your adolescence. Q. You're looking peak period of movies. MAX HOMA: Him and Vince Vaughan, man. We still quote everything they've done, so that was awesome. That was a pinch-me, texting all my friends, you'll never believe what I'm doing today. That was cool. Yeah, I haven't watched my scene. I will not watch my scene. I do not have the heart to watch myself act. Q. At least Wyndham was there with you. MAX HOMA: Yeah, thank you goodness. Hopefully he looked worse than me. That's all I can ask for. Q. How did you become that guy that is friends with all these big names, massive following. How did that all happen? Just naturally? MAX HOMA: I don't really know. I don't know. I've tried since college just to be myself and then you attract people that like that. If you don't, then it's all good. So fortunately I've always had such an admiration for other athletes, what they go through, what they put their bodies through, what mentally they go through. I've been lucky to get to have a lot of deep talks with these people, especially Aaron, about like how you prepares mentally, I mean. So, I don't know. I just have always been a big admirer of all theirs, so I've been really lucky we've got to have a relationship and chat about life, but also sports and how to get better. All athletes are sickos. We love what we do and we all love other sports, so it's cool to get to talk to those types of people. Q. We had or Nikki Pico (phonetic) walk up with you and she spotted our your bag big Chipotle presences on the golf bag got to ask you. They're a sponsor of yours. You said it's like your absolute favorite thing. First of all, what's the go-to Max Homa Chipotle order? What's the move? MAX HOMA: Yeah, they're my favorite thing like ever. I looked it up. There is not one anywhere near my hotel which is a bummer. My go-to, I get basically the same thing every time. I get a bowl, white rice, black beans, that Chipotle honey chicken is fire. I hope that never goes away. I've been begging them to keep it. Just keep it forever. Q. Don't lose it. MAX HOMA: Then pico corn, and if I had a good week I'll get guac. If not, I don't. Q. That's pretty simple. MAX HOMA: It's very simple. Q. Pretty simple order. Mike, what's on your Chipotle move. Depends if I'm going burrito, usually bowl though. I'm the guy that goes half and half with everything. MAX HOMA: Yeah, yeah, that is a good idea. Q. I feel like you get a little more that way. MAX HOMA: Okay, yeah, you're fleecing the system. Q. If I'm feeling good I'll go with the queso, but always guac on the side. MAX HOMA: Always, okay. Q. Got to get the guac. Even the veggies I think are a must. MAX HOMA: That's the only thing I'll mix in that's not part of my standard. I have it a lot at home so at some point I mix it up a little. That's pretty much the only thing... Q. Hey, we actually have one in Reno. Maybe we'll drive one up for you. MAX HOMA: Yeah, I checked. 23 miles from my hotel. I'm still thinking about going. I might drive out. I don't have my family here this week so I might hike it over to the Chipotle. Q. Curious, big Dodgers fan, right? MAX HOMA: Yeah. Q. Did you catch the All-Star Game last night? Kershaw mic'd up as he was pitching. MAX HOMA: Yeah. Q. Do you think LA runs it back this year? MAX HOMA: I hope they do. That was really cool. Kershaw is Dodgers' baseball to me. He's right in kind of my sweet spot, my favorite Dodger of all-time. So to get to see that -- he wasn't really honing it down. I think he hit 89 his first pitch. Had a strike out and have Dave (phonetic) come out, you know, that was just so cool. So it's nice when -- we been so lucky to get to see such great pitching in our era. To get to see them take their steps towards the end and get to appreciate it is cool. I hope they win it all. They're good. Pitching is going to get healthy soon. I think that's one the one bugaboo for the season. Bats have been cold, but I don't really worry about that lineup. I think they'll worry that one out. Q. I'm a long-suffering Mariners fan, so Cal Raleigh winning the Home Run Derby, I'm going to ride that. MAX HOMA: Cal Raleigh, baby. That's awesome. That was awesome.
Newsweek
an hour ago
- Newsweek
The Open: R&A Justifies Penalty as Shane Lowry Questions Camera Angle
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. The most stinging thing that can happen to a golfer, especially in the heat of a major, is a penalty that rewrites their scorecard. On Friday at Royal Portrush, Shane Lowry felt that sting in full force. The 2019 Open champion was assessed a two-stroke penalty during his second round after slow-motion footage showed his ball slightly moving during a practice swing on the par-5 12th hole. PORTRUSH, NORTHERN IRELAND - JULY 18: Shane Lowry of Ireland reacts after finishing his round on the 18th green during day two of The 153rd Open Championship at Royal Portrush Golf Club on July 18,... PORTRUSH, NORTHERN IRELAND - JULY 18: Shane Lowry of Ireland reacts after finishing his round on the 18th green during day two of The 153rd Open Championship at Royal Portrush Golf Club on July 18, 2025 in Portrush, Northern Ireland. (Photo by) More Getty Images The moment, dissected in high definition, transformed a routine par into a costly double bogey, knocking the Irish pro from 2-under to even par. Amid the scrutiny, the R&A moved swiftly to justify their decision. On Saturday, tournament officials released a detailed statement explaining the penalty's basis: During Round 2, Shane Lowry's ball was seen to have moved while he was taking a practice swing for his second shot from the rough at the 12th hole," it read, as posted on the PGA Tour's official site. The Rules require three things to be assessed in such situations: 1. Did the ball leave its original position and come to rest on another spot? 2. Was the ball's movement to another spot discernible to the naked eye? and 3. If the ball did come to rest on another spot and the movement was discernible to the naked eye, is it known or virtually certain that the player's actions caused the ball to move? Assessing whether the movement of the ball was visible to the naked eye in such a situation assumes the player being in a normal address position for the stroke. The R&A went further to explain, "In these circumstances there is a one stroke penalty and the ball must be replaced. However, as the ball was played from the spot where it was moved to, the player played from a wrong place and incurs a total penalty of two strokes." Shane Lowry doubts the camera angles used for the penalty The official notice came after Lowry was left "disappointed" and doubted the camera angles, which led to the penalties. "I didn't know anything happened until walking up the 15th fairway and then the rules official came over and told me that there was a possibility the ball moved on the 12th for my second shot," he told reporters during the post-round press conference on Friday. Later, he voiced his concern over the footage used. BREAKING Shane Lowry was assessed a two-stroke penalty for this incident on the 12th hole. According to @ToddLewisGC The R&A spent nearly 20 minutes reviewing the video with Lowry, Scheffler and Morikawa after the round. — (@GOLF_com) July 18, 2025 "I was in there with the rules official and wasn't arguing my case, but I'm disappointed that they don't have more camera angles on it," he told reporters, per a transcript. "The one zoomed in slow motion -- they're trying to tell me if it doesn't move from the naked eye, if you don't see it moving, it didn't move. I told them I definitely was looking down towards the ball as I was taking that practice swing, and I didn't see it move". But the real reason Lowry accepted the penalty was reputation. "The last thing I want to do is sit there and argue and not take the penalty and then get slaughtered all over social media tonight for being a cheat," he shared with the media on Day 2. The incident sparked intense debate across social platforms, some rallying behind Lowry's integrity, others defending the rules committee's precision. Even World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler, who played alongside Lowry during the first two rounds, weighed in. Scottie Scheffler Speaks Out on Shane Lowry's Penalty "I felt like Shane was put in a pretty tough situation there when they were zooming in on his golf ball," Scheffler told reporters on Friday. "In the rough it's hard to tell. From what I looked at very briefly on the video, it looked like it was very difficult to see if the ball was moving --sorry. If the ball moved. The camera was kind of zooming in as stuff was happening," Later in the press conference, he praised Lowry for handling the situation well. "One of the great things about the game of golf is that you call your penalties on yourself," Sheffler said, per the transcript. "Shane ... handled it really well. "It's frustrating for me as a competitor of his and a player to watch him after kind of deal with that because the last thing you want to be known in the game of golf is somebody who cheats." With the adjustment, Lowry's score dropped from 70 to 72. He still made the cut, but now trailed leader Scheffler by 10 shots heading into the weekend. What do you think about the situation? Let us know in the comment section below! More Golf: Justin Thomas Tries Luck With Harry Potter-Style Magic; Birdie Doesn't Drop
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
British Open Round 3 live updates, leaderboard: Rory McIlroy is on the hunt to chase down Scottie Scheffler
Round 3 is called Moving Day, and so far there has been a ton of movement at the 153rd British Open. With scoring conditions ideal, birdies and eagles are dropping everywhere around Royal Portrush, with the entire field coming for World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler, who took a 1-stroke lead into the weekend after a near-perfect 64 on Friday. Scheffler has already won three times on the PGA Tour this season, including at the PGA Championship in May. A win this week would give him his fourth major championship title, and move him just a U.S. Open win away from the career grand slam. [Watch British Open Round 3 on NBC Peacock] But, with scoring conditions ideal, Scheffler will need to match the birdie-barrage in front of him. Already Rory McIlroy is making a run up the leaderboard to the delight of the Northern Ireland crowd. How to watch (All times ET) Live stream: 5 a.m. to 3 p.m. on PeacockFeatured Group 1: Bryson DeChambeau, Nathan KimseyFeatured Group 2: Shane Lowry, Jon RahmFeatured Group 3: Ludvig Åberg, Justin RoseFeatured Group 4: Rory McIlroy, Jordan Smith TV coverage: 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. on NBC Stick with Yahoo Sports for updates throughout all of the third round action at the British Open:
