Kim backs MacIntyre to prove himself on PGA Tour

TOM KIM believes Robert MacIntyre will eventually prove his worth to the American audience after a slow start to life on the PGA Tour.

A three-time winner on the DP World Tour, the 27-year-old from Oban headed to the other side of the Atlantic at the turn of this year having been a key player in a victorious Ryder Cup team. MacIntyre has so far struggled with life on and off the course, with six missed cuts in his 12 tournaments so far.

Yet, Korean Kim — one of the rising stars of the PGA Tour with three wins already under his belt — holds no fears for the Scot once he gets to grips with the different demands he’s facing. ‘I do think it is harder to adapt from Scotland to the US because when I played in Scotland, there’s not much grain,’ said Kim, the world No 23.

‘It’s more just grass. You don’t have shots that when you hit it, your club gets stuck in the ground or when you’re reading putts, there’s not much grain at all. ‘And when you come to the US, there’s so many different grasses. You’ve got bentgrass. You’ve got ryegrass. You’ve got Bermuda. You’ve got zoysia. When you’re adapting to that instead of just one grass, it definitely is harder. ‘The lifestyle here, it’s all business. When I played on the Asian Tour or DP World Tour, there’s a lot of camaraderie — like people go out to dinner and stuff like that. But here, you have your own team. ‘When I first came, I definitely saw a different type of golf and I think that’s what makes these guys so good because they are all so dedicated and focused to their craft.’ Kim saw MacIntyre’s talent at first hand in the closing stages of last year’s Genesis Scottish Open at the Renaissance Club in East Lothian.

The clubhouse leader after shooting a brilliant final round of six under, the home favourite was only denied the title by Rory McIlroy’s stunning birdie-birdie finish — but Kim was left with nothing but admiration for the way MacIntyre battled in high winds.

‘I think MacIntyre shot 66, something absurd in those conditions,’ recalled Kim, confirmed as part of the field at the Scottish Open again this summer. ‘Going up 16, I could see leaderboards. I think I was one-under par that day and I felt like I was playing really well. And I see six-under par, I’m like, this is ridiculous because that’s definitely one of the hardest conditions I’ve ever had to play on a golf course.’