MacIntyre enjoys Turkish delight with sparkling 63
THERE were so many birdies being blasted on day two of the Turkish Airlines Open here at the Montgomerie Maxx Royal, the RSPB were just about penning a letter of complaint.
In this crash, bang, wallop Turkey shoot, Robert MacIntyre was trigger-happy too, with a brilliantly assembled nine-under 63 which underlined his enormous talent, his growing stature and his wonderfully bold sense of adventure.
That barnstorming round, which was his lowest in relation to par this season and the lowest of his fledgling pro career, thrust the
Oban tour rookie into contention again for a maiden title as he finished with a 10-under aggregate and was lurking just two shots behind the halfway leader,
Matthias Schwab.
“I have probably produced my best ever round of golf out there,” said MacIntyre with the sizeable grin of a cat that hadn’t just got cream but had taken over the entire dairy.
The way he signed off his round on the ninth – he had started on the 10th tee – was the mark of a young man playing with confidence and carefree abandon.
A thumping drive was then followed by a beautifully flighted 8-iron over the water and into a couple of feet. The resulting birdie putt was gobbled up with glee.
“I’m a big confidence player when the putter gets going and on the back nine the hole felt like a bucket,” he said of a round that was in stark contrast to his frustrating opening circuit where the putts refused to drop. He had just 23 putts in total yesterday.
“The putts I holed out there weren’t too long and I got lucky on the par-3 fifth,” MacIntyre added. “My putt was going like a steam train but it hit the back of the hole and went in.
“I actually missed two good chances inside 12 feet, so it could have been really daft. But I can’t complain with a 63.”
Playing alongside the former Masters champion, Patrick Reed (above), MacIntyre found a new gear on the back nine and outscored his illustrious partner by a couple of shots thanks to a splendid inward half of 29.
Reed, who was no slouch himself and shot a 65, was certainly impressed by MacIntyre’s majesty. “It was awesome to see,” said the US Ryder Cup player. “Thursday was kind of a struggle for both of us but to see him kind flip the switch today, especially on that back nine, and shoot 29 was special. He’s very young and clearly has a big career ahead of him.”
That blossoming career could feature the European Tour’s rookie of the year prize, an award that was last won by a Scot, Marc Warren, in 2006.
PATRICK KILLEEN admits the experience of playing against Glasgow Clan in last season’s EIHL was a huge factor in him signing for the team this summer.
Killeen spent last season at Milton Keynes Lightening and he admits he always relished his trips up north to play again the Clan.
That experience of facing the Clan, as well as hearing rave reviews from Clan players, Scott Tanski and Matt Stanisz who Killeen was already friends with, convinced the Canadian to make the move to Glasgow.
Killeen signed for the Clan in April and now, twelve games into the current league season, the netminder is convinced he made the correct choice.
The Clan have been in electric form of late, and are sitting in third place in the EIHL, just a point off top spot. The team went on a record-equalling run of eight straight wins earlier in the season and Killeen admits this current squad is fantastic to be a part of.
“It’s a great team to be a part of - we have a really positive mood in the squad right now, there isn’t any groups within the bigger group and every guy in there knows we’re trying to achieve,” he said.
“We have a real winning culture, so regardless if we’re winning a game or losing a game, we have the same mentality. We’ve done that already this season, fought back from behind to get the win. I think that’s really important, especially as the season goes on.”
This weekend, Killeen and his
Clan team-mates have a doubleheader, facing Fife Flyers at home today before travelling down south to play Coventry Blaze tomorrow.
There is always an extra edge when the Scottish teams face each other, with all three doing what they can to get bragging rights, and so Killeen and the rest of the squad are keen to rack up another win when Fife come to Braehead Arena.
“We have a good rivalry with both the Scottish teams – it’s fun,” he said. “It’s very competitive and it’s a big deal for the fans. I think it’s important to have rivalries like that, that’s what makes European hockey so exciting, the derby-style games that are here. Fife are a good team and I think it’ll definitely be an entertaining game to watch and to be a part of so I’m looking forward to it.”
RAFAEL NADAL is hopeful of being fully fit for the ATP Finals in London.
The world No.1 was forced to pull out of the Paris Masters last weekend after suffering an abdominal injury.
Speaking at the O2 Arena, he said: “I need to go day by day. I’m happy to be here because after last Saturday in Paris I didn’t know if I would have the chance to be here.
“I need to see how things evolve every single day. I have good hopes to be 100 per cent ready for Monday.”
BRITAIN’S W Series champion Jamie Chadwick says her dream of ending Formula One’s longstanding female driver drought appears further away than ever.
The Bath racer has signed as a development driver for Williams, and she travelled with the British team to a number of Formula One grands prix this term.
“To be completely honest it feels further away,” said Chadwick. “Young drivers massively underestimate Formula One, and how high that level is in comparison to any junior formula.
“I know what I need to now learn and I am not going to rush and cheat that. But I get messages on social media asking if I am replacing Robert Kubica at Williams next season. In my head that is not even a realistic option.
“I need the time to develop and if I get to Formula One I want to be the best possible driver to make the mark I need to make.”