Latest news with #MacIntyre
Daily Record
a day ago
- Sport
- Daily Record
Bob MacIntyre handed seismic Ryder Cup boost as super showing at The Open rocket him up the charts
Scottish star all set for New York after latest Major Top 10 Brilliant Bob MacIntyre has secured a huge boost in his Ryder Cup return bid as he gets set for some New York carnage. The Scottish hero's latest Top 10 at a Major has rocketed him into second spot behind already-qualified Rory McIlroy in the European points list with just a month of qualifying to go. MacIntyre and McIlroy both finished tied-seventh at The Open at Royal Portrush and the result on top of his runner-up finish at last month's US Open has all-but booked the Oban star's place in Luke Donald's team for Bethpage. The 28-year-old will return to the United States for the Wyndham Championship next week before taking his place in the Fed-Ex play-offs, with his ranking of 15th meaning he's also set for the Final of that in Atlanta. MacIntyre stays World No.14 after Portrush and, with another huge Major result on the CV, he says he's streets ahead of the golfer he was even a year ago. He's ready to go for the rest of the season with The Ryder Cup in sight and he said: 'My job is to qualify by automatic so that Luke can do what he wants with the picks. I feel like the last two Majors have put a massive dent in that and it's just keep going, play golf, do what you do. Good golf takes care of The Ryder Cup. 'I can't be far away now. There's going to be, for me, three or four tournaments I play from now until the finish and, if I do my job well, I should be in that team. 'I'll have about five, six days off, then I'll fly to the States for the Wyndham. That should be me secure for East Lake now, so it'll be the three play-offs and then get ready for a bit of carnage!' MacIntyre left Northern Ireland for the boat home feeling pleased overall with his display, yet knowing there's more to come and he can see the improvements. He said: 'It might not be visual as in on the FedEx or on the Race to Dubai, but statistically for me last year, me and [caddie] Mike were talking about it, it's not even night and day how much better I am at this game or how much more complete of a player. It's just streets ahead. 'It's just allowing that to happen in little pieces. I'm frustrated this week from certain parts of my game, I feel there's lots of improvements. It's amazing. I'm finished where I finished [at Open] and I'm disappointed with my wedge play. 'It's funny I have to say that. Last time I was here in 2019, I finished sixth and I was skipping home, I was delighted. Yes I'm going to be delighted with this. I feel I wasn't in the tournament [on Sunday] to win it, I was jockeying for position trying to finish as high as I could. 'It is a good result, but I feel I'm still piecing it together and there's a lot still to come. I'm getting closer to where I want to be.' In fairness, no-one was in the tournament in terms of winning bar Scottie Scheffler once the World No.1 put the foot down over the weekend and the Scot laughed: 'That's the problem, him getting his clubs out! It is a big problem! But no, look, he's the best player in the world for a reason. When I seen the [Sunday] weather, I thought: No-one is catching him on a day like this. 'We needed a tough, tough test and he would probably still master it, but again, for me personally, it's a solid week, it's another Top 10 in a major, it's another step forward and it's another kind of tick in the box that I'm in the right place, I'm doing the right things, I have the right people around me and that's all we can do.' MacIntyre has savoured the past two events at home with great experiences gained at the Genesis Scottish Open and the big result bagged at Portrush. He said: 'I absolutely love it. I was disappointed with last week [Scottish Open]. A couple of things that, we didn't neglect, we just didn't dig deep enough into it. There's going to come a time when it's going to happen again and we are going to know why it happened. Whether that is Shinnecock [Hills] next year with the firm turf, but the support I have had last week and this week have been unbelievable. 'It [Portrush} is not far from home for me and it's special. This place is special to me. A golf I love, my first Major and a place I really enjoy coming to, so it's a good recipe.' MacIntyre has crammed plenty golf into his recent run, but he's not for stopping with the form intact as he explained: 'It's quick, especially the PGA TOUR season, I think it's too jammed. But you know me, I'm a small European that goes over there. But I feel like the schedule that I've been playing for the last, I don't know, three months has been absolutely hectic. I feel I've hardly had a break. But that's part of the job. Keep going. When you're playing well, just keep going.'
Scotsman
a day ago
- Sport
- Scotsman
'Streets ahead' - Buoyant Bob MacIntyre on where his game is compared to 2024
Scot targets another win and breaking into world's top ten for the first time by the end of the year Sign up to our daily newsletter – Regular news stories and round-ups from around Scotland direct to your inbox Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... Bob MacIntyre has spoken about how he feels his game is 'streets ahead' this year compared to his fairytale 2024 campaign as he targets a sixth career win and breaking into the top ten in the world for the first time. The 28-year-old made it back-to-back top-ten finishes in majors after following his runner-up effort in last month's US Open at Oakmont with a tie for sixth behind Scottie Scheffler in The 153rd Open at Royal Portrush on Sunday. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Bob MacIntyre acknowledges the crowd as he walks to the 18th green with caddie Mike Burrow during the final round of The 153rd Open Championship at Royal Portrush |On the back of those efforts, MacIntyre is now second in Europe's Ryder Cup qualifying points list, having virtually secured an automatic spot along with Rory McIlroy for the biennial contest against the US at Bethpage Black in September. The world No 14, who won both the RBC Canadian Open and Genesis Scottish Open last year, has recorded five top-ten finishes on the PGA Tour this season and has a victory in his sights in the FedEx Cup Play-Offs, which start with the FedEx St Jude Championship in Memphis in a fortnight's time. 'I want to win,' said MacIntyre, speaking to a small group of Scottish golf reporters at Royal Portrush, in reply to being asked about his goals apart from the Ryder Cup between now and the end of the year. 'Top ten in the world as well and I am very close to it. So there's a lot of massive things. I just want to improve every year on what I've done. 'It might not be visual on the FedEx points list or on the Race to Dubai, but, statistically, and me and Mike [Burrow, his caddie] were talking about it on the golf course, it's not even night and day how much better I am at this game or how much more complete of a player compared to last year. It's just streets ahead. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 'It's just allowing it to happen in little pieces. I'm finishing top ten in a major this week and being frustrated with certain parts of my game. Things are good, and I've just got to wait my turn.' Time and time again over the past couple of years or so, MacIntyre has shown how's developed a knack of squeezing everything he can out of a tournament, as evidenced on Sunday as he finished with a flourish, covering the last six holes in four under, to end up tied for seventh alongside McIlroy and defending champion Xander Schauffele. 'The start of that was at Valhalla last year, when I eagled the last and finished in the top ten,' he said of the PGA Championship at the Louisville venue. 'So that was my big learning. I remember somewhere before that I was in with a chance, threw the kitchen sink at it, disaster, and then the next week it was staying patient. Bob MacIntyre made his Ryder Cup debut in Rome in 2023 and is now virtually secured to be an automatic qualifier again for September's match in New York | Getty Images 'Nothing was happening, stay patient, stay patient, eagle the last, top ten. I'm human and I lose the plot every now and again. It is so difficult for me to stay patient, stay calm.' Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Referring to his final round in Northern Ireland, the left-hander added: 'I was getting annoyed out there early on through five, six holes. But it was just wait on your run. It will come. Might not come this week, but then go into next week and just let it happen. It's easy enough to force it, and when you force it, errors come.' Though admitting that his schedule had been 'absolutely hectic' in the opening half of the season, MacIntyre is hoping to keep the foot down when the FedEx Cup Play-Offs get underway while he will also be playing in the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth in the run up to the Ryder Cup.
Daily Record
2 days ago
- Sport
- Daily Record
Bob MacIntyre harshly marks his top 10 finish at The Open and shows the world his insatiable desire to win
The Scottish star says the frustration he feels despite another huge result in a big one provides more concrete evidence he's on the way Bob MacIntyre believes it's a matter of time before he wins a Major. And the Scottish star says the frustration he feels despite another huge result in a big one provides more concrete evidence he's on the way. MacIntyre produced a barnstorming Sunday back-nine at The Open to rocket up the standings and grab a fifth Top 10 finish at a Major. The Oban ace backed up his stunning runner-up show at last month's US Open with another sterling Royal Portrush performance which has surely sealed his Ryder Cup spot. It was another quality display after Oakmont and MacIntyre: 'I know I've got the game. I feel like it's a matter of time, if I just keep piecing it all together. 'This place is statistically a golf course that I should have been sharper. There's certain holes this week that were vital and I played them poorly. 'Top 10, but to contend, I just wasn't sharp enough and then, the tough holes, that's where the dropped shots came and ultimately cost me a real chance. 'I'm finishing top 10 in a major and being frustrated with certain parts of my game. Things are good and I've just got to wait my turn. 'After US Open, it was important for me to come back here and, obviously coming from last week I changed my preparation to feel more comfortable in what I was doing. This week I've done everything exactly the same as I would do in the States. I felt comfortable. 'I obviously want to win, but Top 10 in the world, very close to it. There's a lot of massive things, FedEx. I just want to improve every year on what I've done.' MacIntyre's performance has surely booked his seat onto the European flight for Bethpage and he admitted: 'I think it has now. I thought after the US Open it might be done. I've got four more tournaments or three more before the deadline, but I want to qualify automatically. Three more goes and we'll, hopefully, do that. 'Again, I was coming out here trying to win the tournament, but I knew I was too far back [starting Sunday]. It was just jockey for position, pick up whatever you can.' MacIntyre was just a debutant when he finished tied-sixth at Portrush six years ago and he's maturing towards the finished article. He continued: 'I'm a far better equipped golfer. I feel like in another week and I piece these things together, one shot, two shots, four shots, they're massive in these tournaments. "For me, looking now, it's been a great performance, a good result. But it's another kind of reassurance that I'm in the right place.' MacIntyre knew he had to stay calm through the irritation of his final-day front nine to ensure the power-packed finale and said: 'Yeah, I was frustrated early on. The bogey on four was stupid. Sloppy, being too aggressive. Obviously I didn't birdie five and then I just had to keep saying to myself: Just stay patient, there's a good finish there if you can stay calm and just pick up the shots where you can and hope that the putter warms up and putts start going in. Thankfully that's what happened. Obviously chipped in one.' It was another example of his ability to push on at the right times as he continued: 'Was it Valhalla last year? I think I eagled the last and finished Top 10, so that was my big learning. 'I remember somewhere before that I was in with a chance, threw the kitchen sink at it, disaster, and then the next week was there and it was staying patient. Nothing was happening, stay patient, stay patient, eagle the last, Top 10. 'I go away from it because I'm human and I lose the plot every now and again and I come back to it, but it is so difficult for me to stay patient, stay calm. I was getting annoyed out there early on through five, six holes. But it was just wait on your run. It will come. 'It might not come this week, but then go into next week and it's just let it happen. It's easy enough to force it, and when you force it, errors come.' MacIntyre was roared up the last by the Portrush public and said: 'This is my favourite Open venue. To be brutally honest, I love the course, love the place. Not far from home as the crow flies. Shame it's not here every year! But no, it's been unbelievable. The support has been brilliant. Again, the course is in unbelievable shape.' MacIntyre has played lots this term, but the juices are flowing and he said: 'When I'm driving it this well, you feel like you can absolutely demolish golf courses when you've got it, when you can shape it, you've got control of it. 'You feel as though it's just around the corner, a win is around the corner. It's difficult to win, but you feel it when you've got the driver going the way it is. That's why I keep going. But then I run out of energy at some point. 'But no, after the Playoffs there will be a little break, Wentworth, we'll piece together the plan for Bethpage.'
Scotsman
2 days ago
- Sport
- Scotsman
'I feel like it's a matter of time' - Bob MacIntyre on latest eye-catching major performance
Scot backs up runner-up finish in US Open with a top ten at Royal Portrush Sign up to our daily newsletter – Regular news stories and round-ups from around Scotland direct to your inbox Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... It wasn't to be on this occasion in terms of achieving his ultimate goal in the game, but, nonetheless, it's official. Bob MacIntyre is now a bona fide major contender and can't wait for the game's biggest events to come around again in 2026. Runner-up in last month's US Open at Oakmont, the Oban man backed up that brilliant effort by tying for seventh in the 153rd Open at Royal Portrush. In 19 major appearances, he has now recorded five top-ten finishes. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Bob MacIntyre acknowledges the crowd on the 18th green at the end of the final round in The 153rd Open Championship at Royal Portrush |for HSBC 'Yeah, I know I've got the game,' said MacIntyre of taking another big step in his bid to make the ultimate breakthrough in the game by producing eye-catching back-to-back performances in the events that measure careers. 'I feel like it's a matter of time, if I just keep piecing it all together.' It had been a 'frustrating' final round for the 28-year-old as he stood at level par for the day on the 12th tee, having offset birdies at the second and seventh with bogeys at the fourth and tenth. His patience was well and truly rewarded, though, over the closing stretch, which yielded four birdies, including a chip at the 14th, and also a run of five straight 3s. 'This place is statistically a golf course that I should have been sharper. My wedge play was really poor this week and some dropped shots ultimately cost me a real chance,' he said in assessing his seventh-place finish. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad That was just outside where he ended up on his major debut here in 2019 but, asked to compare then and now, he declared: 'I'm a far better-equipped golfer. It's been a great performance, a good result. It's another kind of reassurance that I'm in the right place.' His place in Europe's team for a Ryder Cup defence at Bethpage Black in September has been well and truly nailed down. 'Yeah, I think it has now,' said the 2023 rookie in Rome. 'I thought after the US Open it might be done. I've got three or four more tournaments before the deadline, but I want to qualify automatically and we'll hopefully do that.' Those tournaments are the three FedEx Cup Play-Offs, starting with the FedEx St Jude Championship in three weeks' time then the BMW Championship and season-ending Tour Championship. He'll then turn his attention to the DP World Tour before and after the Ryder Cup. Bob MacIntyre of Scotland reacts to leaving a birdie putt agonisingly short at the 18th in the final round |'I feel like the schedule that I've been playing for the last three months has been absolutely hectic. I feel I've hardly had a break. But that's part of the job. Keep going. When you're playing well, just keep going,' said with a smile. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad On the back of his emergence as a global star over the past year and a bit in particular, MacIntyre was cheered every step of the way at a venue he openly admits is his 'favourite links course in the world'.
The National
2 days ago
- Sport
- The National
Robert MacIntyre finishes tied seventh in The Open at Portrush
After his thrilling second place finish in the US Open at Oakmont last month, Robert MacIntyre backed it up with a sturdy top-10 in The Open here at Royal Portrush. Trying to catch Scottie Scheffler, of course, was going to be a mighty task akin to attempting to land a shoal of cod with a sieve but MacIntyre dug in with his usual spirit and set about finishing as high as he could. A back-nine rally for a four-under 67 hoisted the Oban lefty onto a 10-under aggregate. When it was all done and dusted, MacIntyre had earned a share of seventh place. Back in 2019, MacIntyre marked his major championship debut here at Portrush with a share of sixth. Since then, the Scot has played in 18 more majors and has added four more top-10s. It continues to be an impressive body of work. 'I feel like it's a matter of time,' said MacIntyre about his prospects of becoming the first Scottish men's major champion since Paul Lawrie won The Open back in 1999. The major championships have hurtled by in a flash and MacIntyre has nine months to wait until the Masters at Augusta tees things off again in April. 'It's quick, especially the PGA Tour season,' said MacIntyre of a condensed, packed schedule that would make a tin of sardines look like a vast acreage of space. 'I think it's too jammed. I feel like the schedule that I've been playing for the last three months has been absolutely hectic. I feel I've hardly had a break. But that's part of the job. When you're playing well, you just keep going.' MacIntyre certainly got going as the holes began to run out at Portrush. Level-par through the 11th, the Ryder Cup player upped the ante coming home and mounted a bold offensive. He birdied the 12th, then chipped in from off the 14th green for another gain. The punch of the fist showed he was enjoying the charge. A raking birdie putt from over 25-feet on the 15th bolstered the assault and he came within a whisker of an eagle on the 17th. 'I was frustrated early on and the bogey on the fourth was stupid,' he said as he reflected on his round. 'It was sloppy, and I was being too aggressive to a pin that you just could not miss on one side. "But I just had to keep saying to myself, 'stay patient, there's a good finish there if I can stay calm and just pick up the shots where I can'. 'This is my favourite Open venue,' MacIntyre added of this happy hunting ground. 'I love the golf course, I love the place. The support has been unbelievable. It's not far from home as the crow flies and it's a shame it's not here every year. 'Look, I was coming out here trying to win the golf tournament. But I knew I was too far back going into today. So it was just a case of jockeying for position. 'This place, statistically, is a golf course that I should have been sharper on. My wedge play was really poor this week. There are certain holes this week that were vital, and I played them poorly. 'To really contended I just wasn't sharp enough on those holes, and then on the really tough holes, that's where the dropped shots came and ultimately cost me a real chance.' With another huge haul of Ryder Cup qualifying points gathered up as well, MacIntyre's seat on the European plane to Bethpage Park in September is all but booked. 'I thought after the US Open it might be done, but I think it has (been done) now,' he said.
