Macintyre stops ‘farting about’ as he keeps the banter for after his work
Bob MacIntyre still loves some “banter” in his life but his days of “farting about” at a golf course are over as he closes in on the world’s top 50.
The 24-year-old is among five Scots in the 65- man field for the DP World Tour Championship, which starts tomorrow at Jumeirah Golf Estates in Dubai.
Macintyre sits 22nd in the Race to Dubai and can leapfrog to the top of the rankings on Sunday with a victory on the Earth Course, coupled with a whole host of others not finishing in second spot.
On the same stage last year, the Oban man was crowned as European Tour Rookie of the Year and, on the back of a breakthrough win in the Cyprus Showdown last month, he’ s now climbed to a career-high 59th in the world rankings.
Nothing whatsoever has changed about Macint yre as a person in the last 12 months but, in a video call in the build up to the $8 million Rolex Series event, he delivered an insight about having adopted a different attitude at his workplace.
“The golf game hasn’t really changed,” said Macintyre, who is flying the Saltire this week along with fellow 2020 winner Marc Warren, as well as Connor Syme, Grant Forrest and Scott Jamieson.
“I’ ve probably become more consistent in the last five or six weeks because I changed a few things. Other than that, I feel like I’m the same person.
“If I’m doing anything different, I’m more strict with my practice when I’m at the golf course. I’m not farting about as much.
“I used to mess around a little bit when I was at the golf course with other players. I’d sit there for maybe an hour and a half and have a laugh. Now I come up to the golf course, do my work and then I get out of there. The banter hours can happen after I’ve done my work.”
The left-hander is learning good habits from “older, experienced” players, including 2019 Scottish Open champion B er nd Wiesberger.
“Even B er nd, who I like to have a laugh with, he’ s so focused when he’s at the course on the putting green, on the range, he’s got things to work on, checkpoints every day,” added Macintyre.
“That’ s where I feel I’ ve started to get to and still need to improve on that, but we’re in the right place.” According to a world rankings expert, MacIntyre needs a top-seven finish or better this week to break into the top 50 by the end of the year and secure a first trip to Augusta in April.
“The Masters invitation would be a Brucie bonus ,” he insisted .“I’ m just trying to win the DP World Tour Championship, whatever comes with that comes with that. “I’ve been playing good golf, I’m finally seeing improvements in my game. Last week I was disappointed with the Saturday (a closing 72 that left him having to settle for a share of 19th spot on the Golf in Dubai Championship).
“But the golf course didn’t suit me how I hoped it could. This week, it’s a tougher test, scoring won’t be as low, that suits me when it’s not a lights out job for four days. I’m really looking forward to seeing how we get on.”
In his last 16 rounds, MacIntyre is a combined 50-under-par, a run that has included a 64, a brace of 65s and three 66s. “I was always confident in what I could do. I knew I could win, it was just a matter of doing it,” he said. “Looking for ward it’s about trying to win more and more often, but it’s golf and it’s hard to win. But it’s good to see things are going in the right direction.”