MacIntyre has the Ryder Cup in his sights

HAVING been name-checked recently by the captain of Team Europe, Robert MacIntyre wouldn’t be human if he had not already checked his schedule for September 25, 2020, and allowed himself to dream.

Exactly one year from now, the dunes of Whistling Straits in Wisconsin will be a sea of red and blue as the Americans play host to a European side who will be bidding to retain the Ryder Cup.

And who is to say that MacIntyre will not be among the dozen golfers who make the journey across the Atlantic? Only a fool would bet against it.

His debut season on the European Tour has been one of unrelenting success.

Now inside the world’s top 100 and sitting 14th in the Race to Dubai, he is a strong contender to win the Rookie of the Year award.

With three runners-up finishes this season, the most recent being in the Porsche European Open a couple of weeks ago, the only step left to take is the one which leads into the winner’s enclosure.

If he can do that at some point over the coming weeks and months, it would further enhance his chances of making it into skipper Padraig Harrington’s European team for next year.

Last week, Harrington gave a glowing endorsement of the 23-year-old Scot, saying: ‘I’ve been really, really impressed with him. I’d be very happy if he plays his way into my team.’

Given the course set-up at Whistling Straits, and MacIntyre’s penchant for links golf, as demonstrated by a tied-sixth finish on his debut at the Open Championship this year, it already seems a perfect fit.

He admits it would be a dream come true to make the team. At the same time, he won’t beat himself up if it escapes him at such an early juncture of his career.

‘I played with Padraig for the first time recently (at the Omega European Masters in Switzerland),’ said MacIntyre, who is gearing up for this week’s Alfred Dunhill Championship on home soil at St Andrews, Carnoustie and Kingsbarns.

‘He’s the 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, 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.’ Asked how close he feels he is to a breakthrough victory, MacIntyre continued: ‘When the putter behaves itself, I am knocking on the door.

‘I feel like things have to go your way to win tournaments. At least, that is what I am saying to myself.’

MacIntyre intends to enjoy the more relaxed format of this week’s event, as the golfers rub shoulders with the great and the good in the pro-am.

Being starstruck is, of course, all part of the occasion this week as the likes of Justin Timberlake and Bill Murray are just two of the A-list names playing.

Mercifully, Murray will resist the urge to shoot dead any gowfers — sorry, gophers — but the novelty and the odd Caddyshack joke won’t be lost on MacIntyre.

‘Everyone is here — movie stars, the lot,’ he smiled. ‘You look at them and you think: “I’ve seen you in this film, in that film, loads”.

‘I don’t mind a bit of Justin Timberlake. I’m a fan — but I won’t be going up for a selfie!’