Bob MacIntyre has say on Scottish golf performance as one player earns special praise

It’s been another great year for MacIntyre, who, on the back of finishing runner-up in the US Open at Oakmont, broke into the world’s top ten for the first time and recently climbed to a career-high seventh in the global standings.

The Oban man was also part of a winning European Ryder Cup team for a second team after helping Luke Donald’s side retain the trophy in the event’s 45th edition at Bethpage Black in New York before winning the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship at St Andrews the following weekend.

That was a fourth Scottish success on the DP World Tour this season after Calum Hill claimed his second win on the circuit in the Joburg Open, Connor Syme landed a breakthrough success in the KLM Open and then Grant Forrest become a two-time winner as well by coming out on top in the inaugural Nexo Championship.

In addition, David Law won twice on the HotelPlanner Tour, where Daniel Young also claimed his maiden victory, with the pair being joined among the graduates to the DP World Tour at the end of the season on the second-tier circuit by Euan Walker. With Cameron Adam also securing a seat at the top table through winning the Global Amateur Pathway, it means that 11 Scots will be DP World Tour card holders in 2026.

“Yeah, I think it is massive,” MacIntyre, speaking in Dubai, told The Scotsman of an eye-catching campaign for Scottish players. “And it is important that guys keep doing it as it gives the younger ones belief that there is an opportunity there.”

Referring to the importance of Saltires flying high on leaderboards in the game, he added: “It has to be at every level. From grass roots like what Stevie [Gallacher] is doing to club level to performance level to your Tartan Tours, MENA Tour, Challenge Tour, DP World Tour and PGA Tour.

“Especially as a Scot, I feel you’ve got to have someone there you can always look up to and almost try and catch in a certain way. I did that. When I was on here, it was Russell [Knox] and Martin [Laird] on the PGA Tour I was trying to catch.

“I played in WGCs and other events and I got to spend some time with them, including with Martin when we joined forces in the Zurich Classic (two-man team event on the PGA Tour). You just learn from situations like that and also from speaking to certain people. Every level of golf is important in terms of players getting to the top.”

MacIntyre reckons he’s a perfect example of how dreaming big is important, having overcome hurdles at various points in his career to become one of the top players in the game and now chasing major titles.

‘Danny Young has chance to make a name for himself’

“You know what, growing up as a kid I wasn’t the best,” he said, reflecting. “I got to a point where I was there or thereabout but, when I went into the (elite) amateur stuff, I was a decent amateur but never became the best amateur in the world or anything like that. I think I got close to fifth or round about there.

“I just look at Danny Young right now and I think the guy has done it the majority of the time his way. It’s taken a little bit longer than most, but, at the end of the day, he’s now on the DP World Tour with a real chance to make a name for himself and enjoy a really good career.

“He’s got a brilliant attitude, but that’s always been the case. I remember playing against him in the Scottish Amateur final (at Muirfield in 2015) and it was two guys who you probably didn’t think who’d be in that final.”

MacIntyre has very much done things his own way since setting out in the paid ranks, having been crowned as the DP World Tour Rookie of the Year in 2019 and returning to Jumeirah Golf Estates this week to see a giant image of himself on the back of a corporate hospitality unit alongside career grand slam winner and Masters champion Rory McIlroy.

“There’s certain things I look at in terms of how people do things and I think ‘why are they doing this or why are they doing that?’” he observed. “It’s their choice. But the majority of the people who make it out here do the same things and I think it helps.

“Keep the team small, trust in yourself. I’m a big believer in small teams but good teams and then you add to it as you go on. But I think it is brilliant for the Scottish game having all these guys coming up.”