REED IT AND WEEP FELLAS
MacIntyre puts Pat in shade as Tommy sizzles in San Fran
ROBERT MACINTYRE proved he belongs on the Major stage as Captain America was left in the shadow of Oban’s finest.
The 24-year-old, out with Ryder Cup star Patrick Reed at Harding Park in San Francisco, carded a three-under 67 to revive his US PGA debut.
MacIntyre, teeing up in only his second Major after a superb tied sixth at The Open last year, moved to level par through 36 holes as Reed signed for a 70 to remain on two under.
Tommy Fleetwood stole the show early doors as a superb 64 lifted him to six under, two shots off China’s Haotong Li (65).
MacIntyre had dropped two shots in his closing four holes on day one in a three-over 73.
But the Scot, who started on the 10th, showed no signs of a hangover, finding the green in two on his par-five opener then two-putting for a birdie.
A dropped shot at his third hole proved to be the only slip-up of the day, a 32-foot birdie beauty at the turn the pick of three more gains.
MacIntyre, who teed up in the WGC-FedEx St Jude Championship last week, said: “I was actually here at university in Louisiana – I know this style of course. The style of golf suits my game. I hit it high, normally straight off the tee.
“I don’t normally hit many wide ones and this week I feel like the wider you are, the better you are the way the rough is.
“If you’re close to the cart path you’re going to have a shot.
“If you’re just off the fairway, which I seem to be doing this week, then you’re hacking out. But I feel like it suits my game tee to green.
“It helped getting to play last week in Memphis so it kind of set me up well for this week. I knew the style of the course was going to be similar but firmer and sure enough, it’s proved to be the same.
“I just feel like the weather conditions at the start of the week were a lot cooler but now it’s heating up well.”
Asked for the big difference between his opening 73 and a second-round 67, he added: “I wasn’t far off on Thursday.
“Thursday afternoon, the weather was as hard as I’ve played in with the condition of the golf course.
“If you missed a fairway, you were chipping out and I couldn’t find a lie until the final hole today. I finally found a lie that I could get up near the green.
“It was a bit easier. The wind wasn’t as strong.”
Seven birdies and a single bogey saw Fleetwood motor into contention in the first Major of the season.
The world No.13 said: “I feel like my game is improving day by day since I have come back to playing.”
Bryson DeChambeau, who accidentally broke his driver on day one, followed his opening 68 with an erratic 70.
Jon Rahm, knocked off world No.1 spot by American Justin Thomas last weekend, posted a 69 to reach one under.