McIntyre has reasons for cheer despite cup mauling

Golf: Oban professional aiming for success at European Tour School

Glencruitten’s Robert MacIntyre believes the failure of Great Britain and Ireland’s golfers to halt the momentum of the United States was the decisive factor in the thumping Walker Cup defeat at Los Angeles Country Club.

The US regained the trophy they lost at Royal Lytham and St Annes in 2015 with a resounding 19-7 victory.

The match had been tied at 2-2 after the morning foursomes on Saturday, but the home side dominated the afternoon singles to open an 8-4 lead.

A 3-1 win in Sunday’s foursomes put the Americans within touching distance of the cup and they went on secure a comfortable victory with an 8-2 success in the singles.

Welshman David Boote was the only British player to win a singles match on Sunday, beating Doc Redman by one hole, with MacIntyre and Portsmouth’s Scott Gregory both halving their matches against Cameron Champ and Norman Xiong respectively.

Dundee’s Connor Syme, the only other Scot in the field, lost by one hole to Scottie Scheffler. A disappointed MacIntyre said: “It’s a momentum game, the team events.

“So after the doubles on the first day, we stalled and the momentum just started to switch and once we were going against the tide it’s hard to get back.”

The win for the US continues the recent trend of home advantage favouring the hosts with 11 of the past 13 Walker Cups being won by the home team.

Great Britain and Ireland’s last win in the United States was in 2001 and MacIntyre believes conditions give the home side a clear advantage.

He said: “It’s a completely different style of golf from back home, which is why I’d say play here whenever you can.

“You don’t run the ball in here because it’s impossible. You‘ve just got to change your style.

A lot of golfers back home play a lot of links golf, but here it was almost PGA Tour-style golf where it’s not played along the ground anymore. It’s all about getting the ball airborne.

“Players have got to be long, straight, accurate and putt well.

“Basically, just do everything well over here.”

The loss could not sour the experience for Oban golfer MacIntyre, who will now step up his preparations for turning professional.

MacIntyre, who will enter the European Tour qualifying school at the second stage in Spain on November 3, added: “It was an unbelievable experience and something I will never forget.

“There’s not many people get the opportunity to play in the Walker Cup so it’s one of the things I’ll cherish. I’m going back home to the wind, rain and probably hail but I’ll get to the professional scene pretty soon I hope.

“I’m going to go to QSchool. I’m all set up with a management company (Bounce) in Scotland, so I’ll go there as an amateur and I’m 90% sure after that I’ll be turning professional.”

“Have got to be long, straight, accurate and putt well”