I rate Bob MacIntyre's Masters chances as evidence suggests something big could be on cards at Augusta
Scot heading into a major in best-ever position in terms of his standing in the game
His Masters journey started with a promising top-12 debut, which secured a return the following year and, subsequently, another solid display by finishing joint-23rd before having to face a frustrating two-year absence due to not being exempt then a disappointing early exit when making his eagerly-awaited return 12 months ago.
The latter stung because, from the very start of his career at Augusta National, Bob MacIntyre has quietly fancied his chances of becoming a Green Jacket owner and, of course, emulating compatriot Sandy Lyle, the 1988 winner.
With just ten competitive rounds at the Georgia venue under his belt, you could say that the Oban man is still learning the ropes when it comes to tackling what is a ferocious test, one that can be punishing at any point.
There’s good reason, though, that MacIntyre made his fourth Monday morning drive up Magnolia Lane knowing he’s on lots of lists as a genuine contender in the tournament’s 90th edition.
Yes, of course, it was, in his own words, “disappointing” that the 29-year-old Oban man didn’t arrive here as the Valero Texas Open champion, having held a four-shot lead at the halfway stage at TPC San Antonio after looking as though he had his golf ball on a string in the second round in particular.
Even before the dust had settled on that near miss, though, MacIntyre knew that he was heading here in a great position, probably the best he has ever felt, in fact, going into a major, with this one being No 21.
“I’m right there, I don’t need to worry about things,” he declared on Sunday night after finishing joint-second behind J.J. Spaun, the man, of course, who closed with two birdies to pip him in last year’s US Open at Oakmont. “I just need to rinse and repeat going into next week.”
While the end result in Texas wasn’t what he had in mind after opening with rounds of 66-64 to set a new 36-hole tournament record for the event at TPC San Antonio, MacIntyre’s stats for the week were encouraging for this next assignment.
New driver worked well in Texas Open
Armed with a new Titleist GTS2 driver, he hit 33 out of 56 fairways, tying for tenth in that category. In the last round, having found 11 out of 14 fairways, he was T1 and, given he was in the heat of a title battle at the time, that can only be viewed as a positive.
So, too, can the fact he ranked in the top five for the week in strokes gained both off the tee (3.207) and approaches to the green (5.625). Helped by a figure of 7.323 in his eye-catching second circuit, the left-hander finished the week with a strokes gained total of 12.175, which was only bettered by Spaun with 13.175.
It probably didn’t help MacIntyre that, due to bad weather on Saturday, he was left facing 30 holes on Sunday, when, at one point in the third round, he found himself four clear of the field again before heading into the closing circuit with just a one-shot advantage.
At times in the final round, he wasn’t firing on all cylinders but, as we should all know by now, the two-time PGA Tour winner is a fighter and it was no surprise that even the NBC commentators were complimenting his battling qualities on this occasion.
“I was proud of the way I played,” said MacIntyre, understandably so after he’d made a brilliant eagle-2 at the 17th to get within a shot of Spaun, who’d finished an hour or so earlier, before being unable to make the birdie he needed at the par-5 18th to force a play-off.
A wayward second shot with a 3-wood was untimely, but, as MacIntyre alluded to, it was partly caused by the shot he’d hit there earlier in the day that led to a 6 and he simply “overcompensated”.
In the process, MacIntyre missed out on the chance to become the third successive left-hander to win that title after it was landed by Akshay Bhatia in 2024 then Brian Harman last year. It also meant that, unlike Lyle in 1988, he’s not attempting to pull off back-to-back victories.
However, on the back of also being in the mix on the back nine in The Players Championship a fortnight earlier before finishing fourth in the game’s so-called fifth major, it was yet more evidence that the Scot is sitting at the top table in the game at the moment for a very good reason.
‘Underestimate him at your peril’
“I have no doubt in my mind that he’ll be a major champion in the next couple of years and there’s no reason why it can’t happen sooner rather than later,” observed Paul McGinley, the 2014 Ryder Cup-winning captain, of MacIntyre in one of the various media conference calls in the build up to the Masters.
“This guy is not to be underestimated. He’s full of character. He’s full of game. He’s full of heart and he loves the big occasion. He’s a brilliant competitor. Underestimate him at your peril.”
It’s a tall order and this place can be cruel, even if you are world No 8 and feeling good about your game, but maybe, just maybe, something big could be on the cards for Bob MacIntyre this week.
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