The Courier & Advertiser (Angus and Dundee)
World No 4 and Ryder Cup star Justin Rose and American singer and actor Justin Timberlake at the Old Course yesterday as they prepare for the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship, which gets under way tomorrow at St Andrews, Carnoustie and Kingsbarns.
Left-handed Scot credits experience of playing tournament as an amateur six years ago as catalyst for latest push
Robert Macintyre credits his experience of playing in the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship as an amateur six years ago as the week that gave him the belief he could make the grade in professional golf.
The left-hander, who has finished runner-up three times on a superb European Tour rookie season, teed up in the event as a 17-year-old as a late replacement to partner Eduardo de la Riva.
Macintyre is among a strong Scottish contingent at this week’s event at St Andrews, Kingsbarns and Carnoustie looking to become the fourth winner from the Home of Golf since the successes of Colin Montgomerie (2005), Stephen Gallacher (2004) and Paul Lawrie (2001).
Macintyre, sitting 14th in the Race to Dubai, said: “I got a place in 2013 through Scottish Golf at the last minute. I found out I was playing on the Monday morning. That was probably the week that made me realise I could do something in golf.
“I was a bit star-struck that week and I was thinking ‘Jesus, I’m playing with Richie Ramsay’. I still have a photo of Eduardo and myself up in my bedroom.
“I actually looked at it before I went to Wentworth for the BMW PGA Championship last week as I knew I was going back. It is a memory that will last forever.”
The usual plethora of celebrities have descended on the east coast of Scotland to enjoy a few days of links golf with Justin Timberlake, Bill Murray, Ronan Keating and Piers Morgan all taking part in the pro-am event.
But there will be no shortage of galleries following Macintyre this week, although the 23-year-old is still getting accustomed to the increased attention he is receiving in light of his stellar season on the tour.
He said: “I wouldn’t say it’s celebrity status. I still live in Oban – it’s nice and hidden up there. I just be myself. If people like it, they like it. If they don’t, they don’t. That’s the way it is.
“I don’t mind a bit of Justin Timberlake. I’m a fan – but I won’t be going up for a selfie. Everyone is here – movie stars, the lot. You look at them and you think: ‘I’ve seen you in this film, in that film’.”
A sign of Macintyre’s growing profile came at Wentworth last week when one of England’s most successful footballers in recent times stopped the Glencruitten member for a chat.
He said: “Paul Scholes came up to me last week. Well, actually, I let him by me.
“I was thinking: ‘Ooft, there’s Paul Scholes’ but he introduced himself and we had a nice chat.”
Macintyre said he was flattered when European Ryder Cup captain Padraig Harrington last week talked up his chances of making next year’s team but admitted making the final 12 may be a step too far at this stage of his career.
He added: “I played with Padraig for the first time in Crans-sur-sierre. He’s obviously captain of the Ryder Cup team, which is obviously a goal of mine – maybe not this year, but definitely in the future.
“So it was nice to hear him speaking so highly of me, but, at the same time, it’s not everything. I’ve got a job to do and he’s got a job to do.
“If I can do my job to the best of my ability, I might be there. If not, I’ll go again the next time.”
Defending champion Lucas Bjerregaard hopes returning to the Dunhill Links can kickstart his season.
The 28-year-old Dane held off the challenge of hat-trick chasing Tyrrell Hatton and Tommy Fleetwood 12 months ago to claim the biggest win of his career.
The victory opened many doors for Bjerregaard, not least a first start at the Masters in April when he finished a respectable tied-21st.
But, by his own admission, he has been enduring a difficult stretch in the run-up to his defence with his failure to make the weekend at last week’s BMW PGA Championship his 10th missed cut in 15 events.
He said: “I have fond memories from last year. I have not being playing great over the last couple of months so hopefully that can spark something. “The win did a lot for my career.
“It got me into the top 50 in the world, into The Masters and some of the big events I have played this year. It helped a lot and came at a good time.
“It is great to be back. I have had a decent year but the last couple of months weren’t what I wanted. Hopefully some of the good memories from last year can spark a little something.”
Bjerregaard admits he would love to emulate the feat of Dunhill Links specialist Hatton who won the event in 2016 and 2017 before finishing one shot shy of a play-off last year.
He said: “I certainly wouldn’t mind winning it twice and being in contention the third year.”