Lefty Robert’s mum’s new kitchen may have to stay on the back burner for now
In-form Scottish rookie professional, Robert MacIntyre, has set his sights on making the Race to Dubai finale after a super start to his rookie season on the European Tour.
The 22-year-old left-hander from Oban, one of four Scots to graduate from the Challenge Tour last season, has adjusted to life among leading names on the main circuit in some style. MacIntyre has made 10 cuts from his first 11 events and banked more than £100,000 to sit 56th in the early-season rankings and help put a smile on the face of Scottish golf.
With confidence flowing, the 2015 Scottish Amateur champion is now looking to maintain his position and secure a place in the Tour’s big-money events at the end of the season.
The leading 70 players will all tee-up in the first of three final Rolex Series events at the Turkish Airlines Open in early November, before the top 60 and 50 progress to the closing two tournaments.
“If someone had offered me this position at this point in the season, I would have bitten their hand off for it,” said MacIntyre, on a break back home after nine weeks on the road.
“The realistic target at the start of the year was to keep my card (top 110 in the rankings) and take it from there. But my goal just now is to try to get into the top 70 and get to the first event in the Race to Dubai stretch.
“If I can get that, then great. But if I miss it hopefully my card is secured for another year. You’ve got to aim higher, but I’m just trying to take every event as it comes and try to keep the points snowballing.”
A superb closing eight-under-par 63 in Kenya last weekend secured another top-20 finish, with MacIntyre, who works with Kingsfield-based coach David Burns, revealing he takes the same approach to any course he plays.
He added: “Last Sunday, my caddy said to me before we went out that I was sitting about 63rd and picking up about £3,000, but if I could get top 25 I’d pick up more than £10,000.
“That was pretty much him telling me: ‘You have nothing to lose, just go for it’. That’s what I did.
“If you play good golf, as I did as an amateur at Glencruitten, other things come from that. I just try and keep it simple, it doesn’t matter where I’m playing.”
MacIntyre’s family in Oban are proud of his early achievements, with his mum, Carol, perhaps keeping the closest eye on his play.
“The support my mum and dad have given me since I started playing any sport – shinty, football, golf – has been superb,” said MacIntyre.
“My mum has worked three jobs at one point, my dad works hard, too. My mum is wanting a new kitchen put in the house so I told her the rules of how she is going to get a new kitchen.
“We are on the way just now and she keeps trying to get me to fastforward it. But unless a big result comes in the near future, the fastforward button is not on!”