Macintyre has fight for weekend title tilt
Bob Macintyre overcame tiredness to maintain his sparkling form in the US with a bogey-free effort in the second round of the RBC Heritage at Hilton Head then insisted: “There’s still plenty of fight and energy in me for the weekend.”
Making his debut in the event at Harbour Town Golf Links in South Carolina, the 24-yearold from Oban added a fourunder 67 to his opening 70 to sit inside the top 10 at the time he finished, dispelling fears that he could be running on empty after tying for 12th as first-timer in The Masters last weekend.
Macintyre, who is playing in his sixth event on the PGA Tour in an eight-week stint in the US, opened his birdie account in the second circuit by rolling in a 29-footer at the 14th before also converting putts of 17 feet and 13 feet respectively for further gains at the 16th and 17th.
In a polished performance, he then got up and down from 27 yards at par-5 second - his 11th - before giving himself little stress in reeling off seven straight pars to finish.
“I’m really pleased as it’s one of my first bogey-free rounds in a long time and was as steady as it looks on the scorecard,” said the world No 44.
“I wasn’t driving it at my best, but I managed to keep the ball in play. I know the shot shapes Iamplayingwithnowandiam putting beautifully, as I have been the last three weeks.”
This effort contained just 27 putts, with a change made to his putter by his club manufacturer, Taylormade, paying dividends for him at the moment.
"I actually extended the putter as I have been struggling with the pace of the greens over here in the US as they are a lot faster and the ball was coming off too hot from the putter face,” said Macintyre.
“So, the Taylormade boys took some of the weight off the head and the only way they could do that was by extending it, and they’re done a great job as the ball is now coming off at a pace I can control. That’s half the battle for me. If I drive it well and putt it well, I seem to score well.”
Macintyre finished his second round before noon in the US and is aiming to use a welcome gap before heading out in today’s circuit to be fresh and ready to go again.
"I’ve now got probably 24 hours to relax and I’m quite good at saving energy and not doing much,” he said. “I am starting to get a bit tired but, there’s still plenty of fight and energy in me for the weekend.”
On the european tour, david Drysdale sits just four shots behind the leader, Spaniard Alejandro Canizares, after adding a 71 to an opening 70 in the Austrian Open at Diamond Country Club in Atzenbrugg, near Vienna.
Closer to home, Gavin Hay carded a brilliant sevenunder-par 64 in a strengthening breeze and dropping temperature to record a twoshot win over Paul O’hara in the Montrose Links Masters - the opening event of the new Tartan Pro Tour season. Hay finished on eight-under, five shots ahead of tour founder Paul Lawrie in joint-third.
“I’m delighted as I’m a teaching professional at East Renfrewshire and have been pretty busy coaching, so to beat the quality of the players in this event was really pleasing,” said 29-year-old Hay, who hails from Grantown-on-spey but now lives in the Glasgow area, of a success worth £4,100.
“Montrose suits my game. I have always played the pro-am there and I know the course well. I hit some nice approaches into the greens and had a great day on the greens."