A SHOT at glory. In the final group in the penultimate round of a PGA Tour event. The stage was set.
Unfortunately for Robert MacIntyre, that stage completely fell apart – until his DAD stepped in to save the day.
Scots golf ace MacIntyre, 27, has been near the top of the leader board for the majority of the RBC Canadian Open and Hamilton Golf and Country Club in Ontario.
Playing a huge part of his stunning form on the course is his dad, Dougie, who was flown in at the last minute as an emergency caddie (MacIntyre is between caddies at the moment).
The Oban golfer has admitted previously to struggling to life on the PGA Tour, missing friends and family and the home comforts of the DP World Tour, on which many of his golf buddies play.
He performed well at the PGA Championship a fortnight ago but missed the cut at the Cognizant Classic last week and coming into this week without a full-time caddie, expectations were low.
But the father-and-son pairing has worked a treat, with the left-hander boasting a four-shot lead going into today’s final round.
If he were to win the event, it would be MacInty’re first on the PGA Tour (he has two victories on the DP World Tour).
MacIntyre had a grandstand finish to jump back to the top of the standings after Ryan Fox, whom he was grouped with, had stretched out to an early lead while the Scot misfired.
Both players were on 10-under as their rounds started but MacIntyre faltered early on, dropping a shot on the first hole and hitting just one of six fairways.
Fox stormed out to 14-under at one point but as both players had trouble at the turn, it was MacIntyre who rebounded on the back nine.
He posted three birdies in a row and a superb 30-foot eagle putt before a par at the last to card a round of 66.
And after it, he attributed his on-course turnaround to a stern pep talk from his dad in the middle of the round.
MacIntyre said: “He was having a wee go at me when I was walking from the 10th tee down to the fairway.
“Look, he was a sporting guy, he knows how to win, knows how to lose, he’s been through it all.
“He could see my head going a little bit and he’s like: ‘What have you been working on for the last eight weeks, 10 weeks?’ when I realised what was the problem.
“I kind of flipped into that mode and tried to find the positive in everything.”
MacIntyre revealed his father’s advice hits differently and it was just what he needed this week.
“It hits differently because he properly means it,” he said.
“I know the [other] caddies mean it for another reason, but my dad wants me to do well because we’re blood. There’s nothing other than pride and guts and what we’re trying to do. He’s been through thick and thin with me.
Further back at seven under-par is fellow Brit Rory McIlroy.
He said: “There are still some low scores out there.
“It felt like it could’ve been better but I got myself back into the tournament and hopefully within touching distance of the guys (at the top of the leader board).”
MacIntyre tees off at 7.25pm UK time in the final pairing with American player Blake Griffin.
If he wins, he will become only the second Scot in history to win the Canadian Open at Hamilton Golf and Country Club, after the famed Tommy Armour.
5-under in his last 4 holes
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) June 1, 2024
@Robert1Lefty leads by FOUR @RBCCanadianOpen! pic.twitter.com/LVthysbZ9N
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