13 hours ago
The four Bob MacIntyre rewards for finishing US Open runner up including Ryder Cup boost
The Scottish star came so close to winning his first major only for JJ SPaun to pip him to the feat
Blistering Bob MacIntyre has soared into the automatic spots for The Ryder Cup after his stunning display at the US Open.
The Scottish star's outstanding effort at Oakmont to finish runner-up behind an inspired JJ Spaun in the season's third Major has landed him a raft of prizes.
MacIntyre bagged a cheque for more than £1.7million for his second-placed finish in Pennsylvania with $2,322,000 the cash prize for his position.
However, more importantly to the Oban ace, he has shot up the standings in all manner of crucial ranking categories as huge added bonus for securing his best-ever finish in one of the game's big-four individual events.
MacIntyre's move at the US Open leapt him into fourth spot in the rankings for the European side heading to Bethpage to face the United States in September.
Captain Luke Donald will have six picks to make after the top-half dozen in the qualification points list for the New York battle are confirmed.
Following Oakmont, MacIntyre leapt up seven places to fourth in the standings behind Rory McIlroy, Tyrrell Hatton and Shane Lowry with Sepp Straka and Rasmus Hojgaard the others currently occupying the half-dozen top places.
Given his outstanding performance when helping Donald's side to victory in Rome in 2023, the Tartan hero has a huge shout for call-up regardless of the final ratings and his US Open show merely underlines his ability at the highest level.
But the 28-year-old wants to qualify automatically just as he did for Marco Simeone County Club and is now in a strong position to do so ahead of his return to Europe for the defence of his Genesis Scottish Open title and tilt at The Open at Royal Portrush with the cut-off point for the rankings coming in August after the Betfred Masters at The Belfry.
MacIntyre also charged up a staggering 107 places in the Race to Dubai rankings and into seventh with his Oakmont performance and, in terms of the Fed-Ex points for their end-of-season battles, he is now slotted into 17th spot.
The Scottish star's progression at the top level into genuine Major contender means he is now amongst the very biggest Euro hopes to lift the Claret Jug at the 153rd Championship in Northern Ireland next month.
He was agonsisingly close at Oakmont, but, before Spaun produced his incredible ending to deny him by a couple of shots, MacIntyre spoke about his delight at being in there again where it counted down the stretch on Sunday.
As the victor was playing bis last couple of holes, MacInytre, already finished having set the clubhouse mark of one-over par, said: 'Then the back nine was just all about fighting. Obviously the rain delay. My previous rain delay comebacks haven't been strong. Today was a day that I said to myself, Why not? Why not it be me today?
'When that rain came on, I wouldn't be outside. I'd be indoors. Fair-weather golfer now that I've moved to the PGA Tour! I came in and spoke to my girlfriend, my best pal, my manager, which held out for 10 minutes. Then I went up into the locker room, dried off my shirt, stole an air conditioning unit and pointed it towards the shirt, dried it off. And I just kept stretching, stayed loose, went through my mobility stuff and then just got ready to go. I'm a guy that believes.
'When I was going round, and I just trusted myself, trusted my caddie Mike, trusted all the work that I've done, and we're sitting here in the clubhouse nicely and just wait and see.
'It feels great. I've got a chance to win a major championship. It's what I've dreamed of as a kid, sitting back home watching all the majors. Yeah, it feels unbelievable.'
