Bob MacIntyre secured his first victory on the PGA Tour simply 5 months into his first full season look on the topflight US circuit after successful the Canadian Open in fantastic model – and together with his dad available to hold out caddying duties.
The 27-year-old Scot, who had solely admitted final month that he was struggling to deal with the calls for of being away from house and his mates for such lengthy durations, determined to ask his father, Dougie, a part-time greenkeeper in Scotland, to take over bag duties this week with a view to give him a elevate after discovering life on tour robust going regardless of placing in some respectable performances, together with an eighth place end ultimately month’s PGA Championship.
DAD ON THE BAG DOES THE TRICK
And the choice to present the bag to dad proved to be an impressed one, with MacIntyre Jnr placing in a championship-winning efficiency, together with his 16-under-par whole being ok for a one-shot win over American Ben Griffin.
Holding a five-shot lead with seven holes to play, that comfy benefit was whittled away by the chasing pack, which additionally included Rory McIlroy, who closed with a 64, however MacIntyre, an unbeaten debutant ultimately 12 months’s Ryder Cup, confirmed nice psychological energy down the stretch to carry off all-comers, with the left-hander firing a closing two-under 68 to maintain his head in entrance at Hamilton Golf & Nation Membership and safe a $1.6m payday – the most important of his profession.
“I had a hell of a battle in me,” he mentioned. “I’ve been working actually arduous on the psychological facet of the sport as a result of as soon as we picked aside my recreation of golf, we realised that my golf isn’t the issue, I’m the issue. I’ve labored arduous at that with my workforce, and it has most likely paid off during the last 4 or 5 weeks.”
Requested what he would possibly do with the good-looking reward, Macintyre mentioned he would use a few of it to repay his dad and mom’ mortgage as a small token in recognising the large half they performed in getting him thus far in his profession.
“I couldn’t play in golf tournaments as a junior as a result of we couldn’t afford it,” MacIntyre mirrored. “I believe that made me. That makes me battle and by no means hand over. My dad and mom gave me the chance, however by no means was I spoon fed, I used to be at all times combating for each little bit of it.”
“Dad’s going to get a pleasant pay take a look at of it. I believe I’ve obtained to do away with some cash simply now for tax causes, however he’ll do properly out of it. He deserves it. My mum and pop might be mortgage-free now, and life’s trying a bit bit higher on that facet of issues for them.”
TEARS FLOWED ON THE 18TH
With each participant and caddie in tears on the 18th inexperienced, post-match interviews had been emotionally-filled affairs.
“He was a caddie for the week, however on the finish of the day, he’s my dad,” MacIntyre added. “He simply needs me to do effectively as a result of I’m his son, and there’s no angles to it, there’s nothing. The emotion on the finish, it was simply nearly out of sheer disbelief that we did it with him on the bag. It simply reveals that I can compete on the prime degree. I at all times knew I might, however till you do it, you actually don’t know.”
And a pep discuss by his dad proved important in his win, with MacIntyre revealing: “He was having a wee go at me once I was strolling from the tenth tee all the way down to the green. Look, he was a sporting man, he is aware of the right way to win, is aware of the right way to lose, he’s been by all of it.”
Victory additionally earned MacIntyre a spot in subsequent week’s Memorial Event – which he plans on skipping with a view to rejoice with household and mates again at house in Oban – in addition to a spot within the following week’s US Open at Pinehurst, which will get beneath approach on June 13.
