I must earn my STARS AND STRIPES
MacIntyre targets USA progress to earn coveted PGA Tour card
THE match-play format suits him, from the brim of his sponsored cap to the soft spikes treading gently across the manicured fairways of the PGA Tour.
And Robert MacIntyre, a young Scot with aspirations to become a genuinely global golfer, knows that this week’s WGC event at Austin Country Club represents an ideal opportunity to prove himself.
The 24-year-old, whose trip across the Atlantic has so far included some battling performances and a chance meeting with Scottish legend Sandy Lyle, has been drawn in a group with world No1 Dustin Johnson, Kevin Na and Adam Long for the Dell Technologies Match Play beginning tomorrow.
His long-term aim is clear, with MacIntyre declaring yesterday: ‘Everyone on the planet wants a PGA Tour card, so you can play on the big events on both sides of the Atlantic.
‘It takes a bit of time getting used to being out here. It’s not plain sailing. There’s a comfort level back in Europe, because I got comfortable pretty quickly, had some good results.
‘Out here, I’ve yet to throw in a class result. Until that happens, I feel like I’ve got my Stars and Stripes to earn.’
Performing well in the mano-a-mano format this week would help in that regard.
It might also boost the Ryder Cup ambitions of a player currently tenth on the European list and 13th on the world list.
‘I’m sure they know all about my match-play record from the amateurs,’ he said.
‘I feel like whatever Padraig Harrington does with his selection, I can’t control that.
‘I’m only able to control what me and the team around me do.
‘I feel like we’re doing the right things. If we have one great week, it can snowball into another great season.
‘I can’t wait for this week. This is right down my alley. Playing against the best players in the world, anything can happen.
‘But it’s not as if you’ve got to beat the 72 or 74 guys. I don’t have to beat the whole field — I just have to beat them one at a time.
‘There is no guide, no plan, just be aggressive, play my golf and see how it ends up when the match is done. When someone tells me to stop playing, that’s when it’s over.
‘In one-v-one, anybody can beat anybody. I’m going to play aggressive golf. If I hit form, why can’t I put in a good week?
‘When the gun goes off on Wednesday, it’s time to fight. It’s a dogfight day in, day out.
‘I love this course. You could be four up with four to play and anything can still happen.’
The boy from Oban admits to finding some of the transition to his temporary tour of the States a little difficult. But he’s been lucky to have a few friendly and familiar faces around, having played practice rounds with US-based Scots Russell Knox and Martin Laird.
And then there was last week’s chance encounter with former Open and Masters winner Lyle.
‘I turned up at the bottom of the range at Sawgrass and I was looking around a teeing area that’s about 100 yards wide,’ said MacIntyre. ‘We stopped the cart and I’m looking at this guy, thinking: “Jeez, that guy looks a good player”.
‘It’s a mix of PGA pros, Senior pros and the like down on the range. Then I saw the Saltire on the shoe and thought: “Hang on, is that Sandy Lyle?”
‘We spoke a bit. He was such a nice guy, gave me the time of day, chatted away to me.
‘I don’t stand there in awe of him and think: “I’m in the company of Sandy Lyle”.
‘The ones I’d get starstruck with would be Tiger (Woods) and maybe Phil Mickelson.
‘We just chatted about where we were from, life. I think he enjoyed that side of it.
‘He must get a lot of people asking for autographs or this or that. We’re just normal guys.’
By contrast, MacIntyre admitted to feeling a little odd about approaching Laird to sort out a practice round at The Players Championship.
‘Every time I was walking on to the range and stuff, I’d see Martin. I knew Russell from The Open, but didn’t know Martin,’ added MacIntyre.
‘I’m a young guy and didn’t want to go up to him. I didn’t feel it was my place to do that.
‘But it’s another level of comfort to know these guys as they are both Scottish and both from similar backgrounds.’
A missed cut at The Players put MacIntyre well out of his comfort zone. He’s currently 44th in the world rankings and, with only the top 50 guaranteed a place at next month’s Masters, he knows how important this week could be. Yet he insisted: ‘I can’t control that. Until the invitation drops through the door, I’ll not be at Augusta.
‘If I play good golf, the rest takes care of itself. I’ve not worried about it for some time, so why start now?’