Tag: robert MacIntyre

Food poisoning, a car accident, an ace that doesn’t count and a record-tying feat mark early action in Zurich Classic of New Orleans

“No more Cajun for the next couple days, but some soup sounds pretty good at the moment.”

Taylor Moore began his week by getting food poisoning and ended his first round with an eagle as he and Matthew NeSmith tied the tournament course record to take the lead.

David Lipsky started his week at the Zurich Classic of New Orleans with a car accident and ended Thursday on the first page of the leaderboard.

Jay Haas, two years shy of his 70th birthday, showed he still has game to hang with the youngsters on the PGA Tour.

Robert MacIntyre made a hole-in-one but it doesn’t count in the record books.

Collin Morikawa holed out twice in a five-hole span.

And all of this came before the afternoon wave started to tee off in the first round at TPC Louisiana in Avondale, Louisiana, the PGA Tour’s only official team event.

Zurich Classic of New Orleans: PGA Tour Live streaming on ESPN+ | Leaderboard

Welcome to the Big Easy adventures.

“I was in the ER yesterday morning,” Moore said after he and NeSmith shot a 12-under 60 in Four ball to grab the lead. “I had food poisoning Tuesday night up until midday yesterday. So just got an IV and some nausea medicine. Finally ate something this morning, which was nice.

“Got into a little rhythm there at the end, which was cool. But no more Cajun for the next couple days, but some soup sounds pretty good at the moment.”

Added NeSmith: “Honestly, we were just trying to finish 18 holes upright. And all of a sudden, we started catching a touch of a rhythm, started making a few putts, started finding the round a little bit. We finished 18 holes, and that was the goal.”

The format switches to the more difficult Foursomes (alternate shot) for the second round; Four ball will be used in the third round, Foursomes in the final round.

Moore and NeSmith were one shot ahead of the teams of Aaron Rai/Lipsky, Tommy Gainey/Robert Garrigus, and Doc Redman/Sam Ryder.

It was a much better spot to be in for Lipsky, who on Tuesday was rear-ended on his way to the golf course as he pulled out from an inside lane to avoid a car that had broken down.

“I’m fine,” Lipsky said. “I started changing lanes, and the guy behind me, I guess, wasn’t paying attention and slammed on the brakes and smoked me. I’m all right. I think the other two drivers were fine.

“It was a little bit of a hectic beginning to the week.”

Jay Haas plays from the 13th tee during the first round of the Zurich Classic of New Orleans golf tournament. Mandatory Credit: Andrew Wevers-USA TODAY Sports

Haas, 68, began his 799th week at a PGA Tour event by teaming with his son, Bill, 39, to shoot 65. The winner of nine PGA Tour titles and 18 PGA Tour Champions events hadn’t played in a PGA Tour event since 2010, hadn’t made a PGA Tour cut since 2006, and hadn’t won on the PGA Tour since the 1993 Texas Open.

But the elder Haas made four birdies to his son’s three.

“We hammed-and-egged it. We bounced back and forth,” the older Haas said. “I had a ball today. I played well. I thought I was helpful and all that, so it was nice. Hopefully I can continue that the rest of the week and we’ll see what we can do.

“It was fun today.”

Lefty MacIntyre didn’t look too excited about his tee shot on the par-3, 207-yard 14th but the ball took a nice bounce from just in front of the green and rolled right into the cup for his first ace in a PGA Tour-sanctioned event. MacIntyre, who used a 6-iron, is denied a place in the record books because statistics in team events are not included.

As for Morikawa, he holed out from 94 yards on the par-4 14th and chipped in from 40 feet on the par-3 17th as he and Viktor Hovland, the first team in tournament history to feature two top-5 players in the official world rankings, were leading the tournament in the early going.

But the two were even-par on their final eight holes and shot 65.

“Even with a kind of mediocre day,” Morikawa said, “to still be at 7 under, we’re still right there with formats to come.”

And likely some more zany incidents.

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Robert MacIntyre looked disgusted with his tee shot on the par-3 14th at the Zurich Classic of New Orleans, then it went in for an ace

Just once it’d be nice if this happened to me.

AVONDALE, La. — We’ve all been there. You hit a shot, look where it’s going, then hang your head in disgust as it flies miles from your target. But when you get up to the ball, it’s 100 times better than expected.

Well, Robert MacIntyre had this happen to him Thursday at the Zurich Classic of New Orleans, but on another level.

On the par-3 14th at TPC Louisiana, the Scottsman hit his tee shot and immediately looked displeased. He hung his head and walked over to his bag. To his credit, the ball did land several yards before the green.

Then it got a hop. Then it kept rolling. Then it found the bottom of the cup.

When the camera panned back to the tee, MacIntyre looked borderline confused.

Then elation set in.

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Why Scotland’s Robert MacIntyre left it all out there on Sunday at his favorite major, the Masters

Last year, in his Masters debut, MacIntyre tied for 12th to earn a spot in the 2022 field.

AUGUSTA, Georgia – The Old Course at St. Andrews may host the British Open this summer, but top Scot Robert MacIntyre has only one goal in mind: get back to Augusta.

“You play it once and you’re just like, it’s the most special place I‘ve ever been in my life,” said MacIntyre after a closing 3-under 69 at the 86th Masters.

“They say The Open is beautiful, but I think Augusta National beats it.”

Last year, in his Masters debut, MacIntyre tied for 12th to earn a spot in the 2022 field. On Sunday, the 25-year-old thought he might be able to secure a return invitation after he birdied the 14th hole to move to 4 under on the day and oh-so-close to the top 12. But the lefty watched his second shot ricochet back to him from the trees on the par-5 15th and the ensuing bogey stifled his run.

“That was the only bad shot I hit all day,” said MacIntyre. “That was just a cardinal sin.”

MacIntyre finished 3-over 291 for the tournament in a share of 23rd, two shots out of the top 12.

He has now competed in eight major championships and made the cut in each, posting a top-10 finish in his last two British Open starts.

MacIntyre and his team have worked on keeping a clear mind inside the ropes and getting away from technique. His goal this week was to just go play. The creativity that’s required at a place like Augusta National makes that goal easier to execute.

Since he first started coming to the U.S. to compete, MacIntyre said his game is “night and day” when he considers how much better he can control the golf ball.

“I can draw the driver, which is massive,” he said. “I can fade it. I can do absolutely anything with the driver. If I drive it well, nine times out of 10 it’s going to be a good tournament.”

Hiring Stuart Morgan as a performance coach has been key to this year, said MacIntyre, who found himself slacking off in the practice department last season. He no longer beats balls on the range for an hour and then wonders what to do next. There’s structure.

“It’s the most productive practice I’ve ever had in my life,” he said.

MacIntyre’s best world ranking to date is 42nd, but he has slipped down to his current position of 74. A top-50 ranking by year’s end would qualify him for next year’s Masters.

“If I’m going to be honest with you, my goal is to get back to Augusta National in 2023,” he said on Sunday.

“That’s the only goal I really have in my mind right now. There’s golf tournaments in the world that I feel I can win, and this is one of them.”

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Rory McIlroy shines ‘considering the start,’ leads Sam Horsfield by one at the DP World Tour Championship

Rory McIlroy leads, while eight players sit within three shots.

Before this week in Dubai, the last time we saw Rory McIlroy tee it up was in Vegas for the CJ Cup. He won. This week, he’s just 18 holes away from winning in consecutive starts.

After making double on the par-5 last on Friday, McIlroy opened his Saturday stroll with a bogey. He would bounce back quickly, however, making three birdies before making the turn with a 3-under 33. The four-time major champion would add three more birdies and a bogey to his scorecard coming home for a third-round 5-under 67.

“Thought I did well considering the start. I hit a nice little snap-hook 3-wood off the first tee,” McIlroy said with a smile following a birdie on 18 Saturday. “After the bogey on one, responded well with birdies on two and three.”

The highlight of the Irishman’s round was what he called “a good bogey.”

“I just thought it was important to make birdie at the last, to get into the final group as well. I knew that putt was probably to get into the final group, and I wanted to do that.”

McIlroy has the chance to be the first player to ever win this championship for the third time.

“I’m looking forward to it. I’m right where I want to be, I want to be contending on Sundays in golf tournaments. I feel like I’m back to playing the way I should, and the way that will get me back contending. I’m excited.”

Rory McIlroy poses with the trophies for winning the Race To Dubai and DP World Tour Championship in 2015.

Just one shot back of McIlroy is Sam Horsfield, who admittedly didn’t quite have his A-game on Saturday.

“It was a little sloppy, it wasn’t my best stuff. It was nice to make that eagle on 14, made like a 60 footer across the green, so that was nice,” Horsfield said after his round. “I got a little aggressive on 18 trying to hit driver up there in the narrow part and it bit me in the butt.”

Horsfield will look to win for the third time on the European Tour, and first since August 2020.

Two back of McIlroy sits Alexander Bjork, and Robert MacIntyre. 36-hole leader Shane Lowry, Collin Morikawa, John Catlin, and Joachim Hansen sit three back at 11 under.

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Robert MacIntyre opens up on lifestyle changes after COVID isolation ahead of Scottish Open

It’s a meaty time of the season and, as Scotland’s leading player on the world order, MacIntyre will be carrying the weight of expectation.

After a year of COVID-related warnings about doing this, not doing that and certainly avoiding a bit of the other, Robert MacIntyre’s own message of caution could’ve been delivered from a lectern with a professor of virology nodding along beside him.

“Don’t travel with anyone, don’t be around anyone and don’t do something stupid,” MacIntyre said in preparation for this week’s abrdn Scottish Open, which will welcome a power-packed field in advance of next week’s British Open. Four of the world’s top five players will be on hand.

“Once you get hit with a bit of bad luck, you’re always on your guard.”

That dollop of bad luck visited MacIntyre the other week when he was tracked, traced and identified as a contact of somebody who had tested positive for Coronavirus on the transatlantic flight the Scot took home from the U.S. Open.

That forced MacIntyre to withdraw from last week’s Irish Open and plunged him into a period of self-isolation ahead of this week’s $8 million event at The Renaissance.

MacIntyre, of course, is quite happy to keep himself to himself. As long as he has his trusty Playstation games console, the 24-year-old can easily settle into a life of solitude that would make the Hermit of Gully Lake look like Keith Moon.

An enforced week off has hampered MacIntyre’s preparations for the domestic showpiece but the World No. 51, who did return a negative test, has taken it all with shrugging acceptance.

“The beach was too busy to hit balls off the balcony,” he joked of a makeshift driving range from his apartment in Oban, a resort town on the country’s west coast. “We just had to take it on the chin.”

With a huge week coming up on home soil, though, and The Open Championship looming on the horizon, MacIntyre’s brush with the menace of Covid has sharpened the senses.

“I was obviously disappointed not to play last week, it would have been a good warm-up, but I have to take no risks now,” he added. “I’ll not be around anyone, just my family and my team. I’ll drive down to The Open myself. I was meant to go on the charter flight, but I’m not even doing that.

“If my friends are inviting me out to dinner right now, I have to say ‘no’. I’m not risking what I can gain from my job just to have a meal out in a restaurant. I’d rather have someone round for a meal. I’m not the best cook … but it’s hard to burn a steak.”

It’s a meaty time of the season and, as Scotland’s leading player on the world order, MacIntyre will be carrying the weight of expectation. Not that he’s bothered.

“What you guys put on me is what you guys put on me, so why worry about it?” he said of us in the golf writing business. “My biggest critic is my dad. No matter what I do this week, he’s going to criticize something, but that’s just normal. I’ve been off for two weeks but I’m as prepared as I can be. It’s been a bit of a mad scramble the last couple of days trying to get myself ready.”

MacIntyre has been grouped with Lee Westwood and World No. 4 Collin Morikawa for the opening two days in East Lothian. A limited number of spectators have been allowed into The Renaissance – the first time crowds have been at a tour event on Scottish soil since the Dunhill Links in 2019 – and MacIntyre is determined to revel in the atmosphere.

“There shouldn’t be many against you this week,” he said with a smile.

After a delightful spell of weather recently, Edinburgh and the Lothians was hit by the kind of biblical torrents that would have had Noah digging out the sou’wester and brolly. The deluge has certainly softened up The Renaissance course but the changes that have been made to the host venue over the last few months have been met with MacIntyre’s approval.

“There’s a lot more definition on the course,” he said. “You’re standing on some tees and it does look more daunting. I think that’s a great thing because you know you’re not standing there smashing driver like you could before.”

As well as chasing the prestige and considerable prize pot of the Scottish Open title, MacIntyre and his fellow Scots will also be playing for the Jock MacVicar Memorial Trophy, a new award dedicated to the dearly departed Doyen of Scottish golf writing. It will be a fitting tribute.

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Masters: Mesmerizing Robert MacIntyre throws caution to the wind

For Masters debutant, Robert MacIntyre, the chance to savor every little thing about Augusta has been gobbled up with considerable relish.

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Day three of The Masters was going along quite the thing until the weather closed in, the thunder rumbled, there was a threat of lightning and the players were hauled off the course.

It was all a bit of a scunner. For those finding the going tough, a suspension can offer time to take stock, regroup and gather thoughts. For those making decent headway, it can be the kind of momentum stopper you would get with a fender bender on the Washington Road.

And for those with space to fill on TV, the wireless, the inter-thingamabob and the good auld newspaper, it can lead to the kind of padding you used to get in the shoulders of the jackets on an episode of Dynasty.

Whatever the situation, you just have to grin and bear it. For Masters debutant, Robert MacIntyre, the chance to savor every little thing about Augusta has been gobbled up with considerable relish. Even the untimely adjournment of affairs would probably have been viewed as a tradition like no other.

MacIntyre’s appearance in the last two rounds was wonderfully welcomed and rightly championed and the front nine of his third round yesterday was the kind of captivating, topsy-turvy performance that should have been accompanied by its own warning from the Georgia Met Office.

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Over the course of nine holes, this fearless left-hander scribbled down just two pars. For the record, his outward half went like this: bogey, birdie, birdie, bogey, par, birdie, bogey, birdie, par. You certainly get your money’s worth with this intrepid young man.

With a bold sense of adventure, MacIntyre has always been a player who throws caution to the wind. Augusta is a mighty adversary, but the 24-year-old has enjoyed locking horns with it. The last couple of days has proved, once again, that the Scot has the admirable bounce-back-ability of a football manager’s cliche.

Before the horn was tooted, MacIntyre had made a six on the par-five 13th but, like his front nine, the salvage operation was swift and serene and a lovely putt from the fringe of the 14th green dropped in for a birdie.

In the end, a second successive 70 for a two-under tally had him lurking in the top-10. It has been a wonderful debut.

“The way I play golf, it’s aggressive,” he said. “No matter where I play or who I’m playing with, I’m going after things. The way my scorecard goes, it’s a roller coaster, and it’s the way I play golf.

“I’m not here just to make up the numbers. I’m here because I got here on merit, and I’m here to win a golf tournament. If I wasn’t trying to win this golf tournament, I’d be sitting at home with my feet up watching it.

“You don’t know what’s going to happen. If I can go and shoot five, six-under par, we’ll set back and watch it all unfold. Who knows, maybe I’ll have a chance.”

When the third day was all said and done, the terrific Hideki Matsuyama had propelled himself on to 11-under with a marvelous 65 as Xander Schaufelle, Justin Rose, Marc Leishman, Will Zalatoris and others grasped at his coattails.

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Matsuyama’s back nine of 30, which was highlighted by an eagle on the 15th, was a wonderful assault. The man for the land of the rising sun had mounted a rousing surge and, in his quest for a maiden major, was well in command.

MacIntyre has emerged as something of a have-a-go hero. His fellow left-hander Phil Mickelson, meanwhile, has been having a go for years. At 50-years-old, the three-time Masters champion can still stir the senses despite the advancing years.

Mickelson’s love for the thrill of the chase remains unwavering while his long-standing sense of adventure, artistry and cavalier recklessness remains a joy to behold as he courts risk and reward with a fearless disregard.

Having just sneaked into the weekend with a three-over total, Mickelson got himself ambling up the order with a three-under 69 which was finished with a trademark flourish.

The former Open champion found the bunker off the 18th tee and then plonked his second shot into the sand at the front of the green.

The Mickelson magic came to the fore, though, and he produced an act of wizardry that would have had Merlin returning to the practice area in an effort to sharpen up. His wonderfully controlled dunt out the trap grabbed the green, spun to the flag and ended up within a couple of feet of the flag. It was a fine par save which was a hallmark of Mickelson’s mercurial majesty.

“This was a round, the first time in a long time, where I scored, where I just kept saving shots and putting it in the right spot,” he said. “I didn’t really strike it as well as I did the first few days, but I scored. I got up and down a lot, and it felt good to shoot a number at least.”

The firm and fast conditions for the 85th edition of The Masters has been clearly up Mickelson’s street and he added: “In my opinion, it’s set up perfectly to identify the best player, and the guys that are striking it well are up on the leaderboard, the guys that are putting it well. I love seeing it like this because you can score low, but you also need to respect it.”

There’s still life in the old dog yet. “The challenge that gets the best out of me is trying to play and compete against the best players,” he said.

Glasgow’s Martin Laird was also among the early finishers and his 72 left him on a one-over total. On a day of delays, it was good to get home and hosed.

Nick Rodger writes for the Glasgow National, part of the USA Today Network. Hence the multiple references to “football” (meaning Scottish soccer, we assume).

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Justin Rose tells Robert MacIntyre to ‘prove himself’

Justin Rose has warned Robert MacIntyre not to get complacent just because he’s the 2019 European Rookie of the Year.

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DUBAI, United Arab Emirates – Justin Rose has warned Robert MacIntyre not to get complacent just because he’s the 2019 European Rookie of the Year.

The 2016 Olympic champion says the Scot “has to prove himself still.”

Rose played with MacIntyre in the final round of the $8 million DP World Tour Championship, Dubai as the left-hander a wrapped up the Rookie of the Year award.

MacIntyre shot a 3-under-par 69 Sunday to finish T-14 and beat former UNLV player Kurt Kitayama for best newcomer. Kitayama finished 48th.

The 2017 Great Britain & Ireland Walker Cup player is the first Scottish golfer since Marc Warren in 2006 to win Rookie of the Year. MacIntyre also won the Challenge Tour Graduate of the Year trophy.

Rose, who was five shots worse than MacIntyre in the final round with a 73, says this is just the beginning for the man from the seaside town of Oban on Scotland’s west course.

“He’s got to prove himself still,” Rose said. “This is just chat. He’s still got to win and he’s got to learn things. He’s got a brilliant journey ahead of him. Keep working hard. This is the first little nugget. This should be a quick pat on the back, Christmas, don’t take your eye off the ball and he’s got to kick on. Hopefully it makes him hungry.”

MacIntyre has been hungry since taking a week off after missing the cut in the Hassan Trophée in Morocco in April.

“I wasn’t enjoying golf,” MacIntyre admitted. “Everyone knows I wasn’t enjoying golf, everyone on my team. I didn’t even want to be playing golf, if I’m honest with you.

“So, took the week off. Went and played some Shinty, and that made me realize what life was about. It was an away game on the bus with the boys enjoying ourselves, and it made me realize that the job I’m doing isn’t a job. You’re doing it because you enjoy it, and that’s the mindset I’ve had for the last 17 events and has made me realize, I don’t find it a chore. Go and enjoy it every week, every day, and that’s what I’ve done. And here we are.”

Rose will endorse the mindset MacIntyre left Dubai with for a well-earned winter break.

“I’ve been shooting at the top 50 in the world for the last four or five weeks,” MacIntyre said. (He arrived in Dubai ranked 69th). “We’ve fallen just short, but the season’s opened up doors for me.

“Next year, if I keep continue to do what I’m doing on the golf course, in my own head, it’s a matter of time.”

Not many, Rose included, would bet against the gritty Scot jumping into the world top 50 next year.

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European Tour Rookie of the Year race: Robert MacIntyre’s mom knows best

The European Tour might as well hand Robert MacIntyre the Sir Henry Cotton trophy before the final round of the DP World Tour Championship.

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates – The European Tour Rookie of the Year race is for all intents and purposes over. The Tour might as well hand Scotland’s Robert MacIntyre the Sir Henry Cotton trophy before the final round of the $8 million DP World Tour Championship, Dubai instead of waiting until afterwards.

But then MacIntyre’s Mum Carol probably knew all along her son was going to win the rookie title. Dad Dougie? Maybe not.

The 23-year-old’s parents are out in Dubai watching their son in action, but they’re not walking together.

“Mum and dad are staying apart on course because mum is so positive but dad negative,” MacIntyre revealed.

“He always thinks the worst, but that’s just natural with my dad. He’s played sport at the top level. It’s a Scottish thing. My mum is definitely the positive one out of the two.

“I reckon I’m more my mum mind-set wise.”

DP World Tour Championship, Dubai: Leaderboard

Just as well, or Kitayama might be cruising to the rookie title.

Kitayama has to play out of his skin in the final round and hope the Scot has a colossal collapse to have any chance of becoming only the third American following Brooks Koepka (2014) and Peter Uihlein (2013) to win the rookie title. The Las Vegas resident will get generous odds in his adopted city on that happening, but he’d be wise not to splash any cash on them.

MacIntyre starts the final round 10 shots ahead of Kitayama after a third round 68 to Kitayama’s 77. All he has to do is finish ahead of the former UNLV player and he’ll become the first Scot since Marc Warren in 2006 to win the rookie title.

The left-hander was six shots better than his second round, when he thought he’d put the rookie title in jeopardy.

“I found something in my long game and mainly my driver,” MacIntyre said. “I could go at it today and knew where it was going. The last two days I had been guiding it when I should have just been pegging it up and giving it a rip.
“Today I wasn’t having to look over my shoulder and watch what was going on with him (Kitayama). Although you are trying not to, it is human that you do.”

MacIntyre doesn’t quite have his mom’s total belief. He’s not counting chickens.

“Not yet,” he said when asked if the rookie race was over. “Once it’s all done, I am sure I will taste a wee beer at the end of it.”

He can probably drink a few cold ones on the way round tomorrow. This race is over.

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Still all-square in European Tour Rookie of the Year race

Robert MacIntrye leads Kurt Kitayama by just 90.6 points in the rookie race as the final European Tour event of the season begins in Dubai.

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates – You’d think a guy who lives in Las Vegas would like the odd wager or six, but Kurt Kitayama has no side bet with Scotland’s Robert MacIntyre on who wins the race to become European Tour Rookie of the Year for 2019.

Pity, because it’s one of the most exciting sprints for best newcomer in European Tour history. And it didn’t change one inch after the opening round of the $8 million DP World Tour Championship, Dubai, the final event of the 2019 season.

MacIntrye leads Kitayama by just 90.6 points in the rookie race. MacIntyre lies 11th on the Race to Dubai while Kitayama is 12th. They played together in the opening round and both shot 1-under 71s.

“We don’t have any bets,” Kitayama said. “We’re both just doing our own thing. I just want to play well this week and see what happens. There’s no point thinking about Rookie of the Year. This is a good chance for me to play well and hopefully move closer to the World Top 50.”

The pair chatted together a few times during the round, but not about the rookie race. “We’ve gotten to know each other a little bit,” Kitayama added. “This is the third time we’ve played together in the last month.”

The former UNLV player birdied the last to match MacIntyre’s score.

“I just couldn’t get anything going early on, so I was happy to shoot under par and now I’ll try to improve the next three rounds.”

Kitayama can become only the third American following Brooks Koepka (2014) and Peter Uihlein (2013) to win the rookie title

MacIntyre is bidding to become the first Scot since Marc Warren in 2006 to become Rookie of the Year. Like Kitayama, he’s hoping good golf takes care of business.

“I don’t even worry if I’m being honest,” said MacIntyre when asked if he would keep a close eye on how Kitayama is doing. “He does his thing. My job is to win my battle. If I win every battle that I set myself, then the outcome will be irrelevant, and it will be what it will be. I can’t control what he does. I can only control myself. I’ve set myself goals. I set goals and I battle through them.”

The 2017 Great Britain & Ireland Walker Cup player wouldn’t reveal what his goals are this week. But Rookie of the Year certainly has to be the reward that goes with achieving those goals.

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