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 profitable the Canadian Open in effective type – 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 dwelling and his associates 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 purpose 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 offer 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 adequate for a one-shot win over American Ben Griffin.
Holding a five-shot lead with seven holes to play, that snug benefit was whittled away by the chasing pack, which additionally included Rory McIlroy, who closed with a 64, however MacIntyre, an unbeaten debutant ultimately yr’s Ryder Cup, confirmed nice psychological power 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 stated. “I’ve been working actually arduous on the psychological facet of the sport as a result of as soon as we picked aside my sport 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 stated he would use a few of it to repay his mother and father’ 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 surrender. My mother and father gave me the chance, however by no means was I spoon fed, I used to be all the time preventing for each little bit of it.”
“Dad’s going to get a pleasant pay try 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 shall be mortgage-free now, and life’s wanting a little 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 have 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 properly 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 virtually out of sheer disbelief that we did it with him on the bag. It simply exhibits that I can compete on the prime degree. I all the time knew I might, however till you do it, you actually don’t know.”
And a pep speak 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 golf green. Look, he was a sporting man, he is aware of the way to win, is aware of the way to lose, he’s been by means of all of it.”
Victory additionally earned MacIntyre a spot in subsequent week’s Memorial Event – which he plans on skipping with a purpose to rejoice with household and associates again at dwelling in Oban – in addition to a spot within the following week’s US Open at Pinehurst, which will get beneath means on June 13.
