How Bob MacIntyre plans to adapt to his new life - 'it's been carnage'

Which, of course, is down to Dougie, the head greenkeeper at Glencruitten Golf Club in the family’s beloved hometown of Oban, having become a star in his own right in the golfing world after being on Bob’s bag when he landed a breakthrough win on the PGA Tour in last month’s RBC Canadian Open at Hamilton Golf & Country Club in Ontario.

Having followed that up with a sensational success on home soil in the Genesis Scottish Open at The Renaissance Club in East Lothian to break into the world’s top 20 for the first time, MacIntyre’s profile has gone through the roof and last week’s 152nd Open at Royal Troon gave him a taste of what’s to come.

The 27-year-old joined the likes of Tiger Woods, Rory McIlroy, Scottie Scheffler and Jon Rahm in facing the world’s golfing press in the Media Centre behind the first tee at the Ayrshire venue and took that in his stride, as was the case with the string of interviews he did after every single round in the world’s oldest major.

He’s become a global star and put Oban on the map, but, as he reflected on the past fortnight, which rightly included a proper Scottish Open celebration with family and friends, the left-hander admitted that he’ll be sitting down with all the members of the MacInytre clan and also the members of his support team to discuss how to handle the fame that comes with the sort of success he is now enjoying in the game.

“I think we just need to sit down - family, friends and the team - and work things out,” he said, with mum Carol and his two sisters, Gillian and Nicola, as well as young Dan, who has been fostered by the family, leading an army of fans cheering the Ryder Cup player every step of the way in both the Scottish Open and The Open and being joined on both weekends by Dougie.

“I mean, after the Scottish Open it’s been carnage,” added MacIntyre, who admitted the backing from outside the ropes in his third round at Troon had been the biggest he’d ever experienced for 18 holes and it was the same in the closing circuit as he played with his golfing idol and fellow left-hander, Phil Mickelson. “This week has been wild. Every step you take, there’s just more attention obviously and that’s something I have struggled with in the past.

“It’s something we’ve just got to get used to and it’s not just me, it’s the whole family, and there are things we might have to tweak. But that’s life. It’s part of it and the biggest thing is that everyone is safe. I don’t mind having my photo taken with people, but you want to be safe and I’ll do things to keep everyone safe.

“Obviously Oban is a reasonably safe place, so it’s not too bad if you go out walking the dog and my mum and dad have a big dog that not many people want to mess with (laughing). But things have got to be adjusted within my life, I suppose.”

After taking a well-deserved short break, MacIntyre will head back to the US in the middle of next week to gear up for the Wyndham Championship in North Carolina. After that, the US circuit heads into the FedEx Cup Play-Offs and, currently sitting 17th in the standings, he is on course to tee up in the FedEx Cup St Jude Championship, BMW Championship and Tour Championship.

He will then turn his attention for the remainder of the year to the DP World Tour and, with appearances set to include the BMW PGA Championship, Alfred Dunhill Links Championship, Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship and DP World Tour Championship, his goal is to get as close to the world’s top ten as possible.

“You just want to be as high as you can,” he said, having been 16th in the global standings heading into The Open but dropping a spot on the back of finishing in a tie for 50th behind Xander Schauffele as the American became a multiple major champion this season. “I don’t know how good in the game I can get. I don’t know what level I can get to with the right support team around me and I think I am building a good strong team for the ups and downs of this game.”

Iain Stoddart, his manager, has been with him from the start, with coach Simon Shanks, putting guru Stephen Sweeney, strength and conditioning expert Kenny McKenzie and caddie Mike Burrow all being part of where MacIntyre now finds himself. His girlfriend, Shannon Hartley, has also played a big role off the course.

“I think I am fairly dedicated to it,” he added. “Life doesn’t revolve around the game of golf, but it is a massive part of my life and I want to be the best player I can be. If that’s the limit, then the limit is 16, but I don’t think it is.

“It is exciting to be world No 16, but there’s also 15 players better than me in the world. You’ve got to win golf tournaments. If you do that, you can get to any level. Obviously to become world No 1, you need to win majors. I ticked off the one I wanted outside of majors and now I want to win majors.”