Bob MacIntyre in Dunhill Links mix again through 'playing on the edge'

On a day when players competing at that particular venue got lucky with the weather as a squall passed over around lunchtime before hitting St Andrews then a heavy band of rain arrived later than had been predicted, it was clear once again that the Kyle Phillips-designed course suits the Oban man’s eye.

Playing alongside 2018 Open champion Francesco Molinari, MacIntyre, who’d found himself with work to do after starting the day six shots off the lead, burst out of the blocks with birdies at the first, third, sixth and ninth to be out in 32. His sole dropped shot came at the par-4 11th, but, spurred on by that rather than letting it linger, he then picked up shots at the next three holes then added an eighth birdie of the day at the par-5 16th.

Sitting on eight under, MacIntyre, who is bidding to join Ryder Cup team-mate Tyrrell Hatton as the only player to land this title back-to-back, sits just three shots off the lead, held by South African Casey Jarvis after he finished with a birdie at the same venue to nudge ahead of compatriot MJ Daffue, Englishman Matthew Jordan and Spaniard Rocco Repetto Taylor.

“Yeah, I drove it well again,” said MacIntyre, who sits alongside compatriot Michael Stewart in a share of ninth spot. “I was just taking advantage of the holes that you could score, the par 5s, by knocking it on in two and the par 4 (sixth). I was just cleaning up the holes where I felt like you need to clean up. I was very disappointed with the bogey. But, overall, a great day.”

The world No 19, who needs a big week to ensure he’ll have at least have the opportunity to decide whether or not he wants to play in the season-ending DP World Tour Play-Offs in the Middle East, feels a decision to change his golf ball this week has allowed him to have a bit more control on the course so far.

“I’ve gone back to one that I've somewhat played previously,” he reported. “It's a new ‘27 Pro V1, similar to my ‘23 V1. It's just the driver. I'm driving it beautifully this week. I'm able to hit shots that the golf ball is just doing what I'm trying to get it to do. I felt I've not had that for the last little while. I was searching to try and improve my own play, and it had a knock-on effect. But today it felt easy in terms of being able to control my golf ball into the winds and cross winds and stuff.”

Having made it to the PGA Tour’s season-ending Tour Championship for the third year in a row, it’s been another commendable campaign for the Scottish No 1. Another win on home soil, though, is now in his sights and he will be giving it his all again in the third round on Saturday on the Old Course at St Andrews.

“You just never know with me,” he said, smiling, of hauling himself up the leaderboard. “It's just the way I play golf. I'm always on the edge, I'm always pushing to be better. It's funny, the bogey, I get wild with the bogey, but then it spurs me on, and then you go three birdies in a row. So it's like trying to control that, but also just let it run.

“I mean, I don't know if it's a bipolar personality I've got, but it's certainly up and down on the golf course. When it's good, it's good. When it's bad, I know it's bad. But I'm playing nicely. I've done a lot of work recently, and yeah, two good rounds.”

Stewart, who followed his opening 65 at Carnoustie with a battling 71 at Kingsbarns, won the Scottish Amateur Championship in 2010 - five years before MacIntyre claimed the same title. The pair’s careers went in different directions on the back of those victories, with MacIntyre delighted to see his compatriot making the most of a sponsor’s spot this week.

“It's brilliant,” he said of Stewart also being up near the top of the leaderboard in just his sixth DP World Tour start. “I play a little bit of golf with Mikey. Back home in Glasgow, we play a few times a year now. He's still a great player. It's just getting an opportunity like he's got this week and hopefully taking it.“That's all you can do, but his chipping and putting! I'm not sure there's many better on the whole planet at that.”

When it was pointed out to him that Stewart still has the same appetite and passion for the game at 36 as he did as a teenager, MacIntyre admitted: “I'm amazed. He's trusting himself, he's trusting the people around him, and he's still chasing it. Fair play.

“I know the bits of luck that I've had throughout my career that have got me to the position I'm in. You work hard, you do everything. He works hard. Hopefully he can have a little bit of luck this weekend that can get him on here full-time.”

Battling to stay where he is playing for the first time this season, Euan Walker sits on six under after a bogey-free 68 at Carnoustie, where David Law, who sits just inside the card cut-off zone, carded a 66 to move to five under. Nexo champion Scott Jamieson, meanwhile, is on seven under alongside Connor Syme, with the top 60 and ties after the third round progressing to Sunday’s closing circuit at St Andrews.