If there’s a more emotional scene on the PGA Tour this year than Robert MacIntyre hugging his father (and emergency caddie) after winning his debut title on the U.S. tour, then we should all prepare for the ultimate tearjerker. Because this was full of emotion.
The whole day he had been as if he were expressionless. Dougie was his son’s caddy. in the Oban youth championship. But no, this was MacIntyre Jnr achieving his lifelong dream and as father and boy embraced, the tear ducts burst. With good reason.
MacIntyre had fended off American Ben Griffin by one shot, with Rory McIlroy lurking, to win the Canadian Open and this was clearly a celebration of heart and lineage rather than punch and percentage.
Dougie, head greenkeeper at Glencruitten Golf Club in Oban, choked back tears as he said: “It’s incredible. I’m a lawnmower, not a caddy.
“They called me last Saturday night, I’m sitting on the couch at home at eight o’clock on Saturday night and I’m (thinking) can I leave my job here? I’m busy at work.
“At eight the next morning I’m on a flight here and wow!”
There was a lot to take in on a frenetic Sunday at Hamilton Country Club, where the 27-year-old jumped out to a four-stroke lead and saw off his pursuers like an inspired McIlroy, with a final-round 64, within reach. hand. before the southpaw went deeper and away again.
Things got decidedly nervy at the end, when playing partner Griffin scored three in a row to get within one shot with one left. At that point. McIlroy resigned himself to finishing fourth, with Frenchman Víctor Pérez third.
MacIntyre was rock solid on the 18th hole, hitting the fairway and then putting it to 12 feet and after Griffin missed his 20-footer to make it interesting, MacIntyre enjoyed the most comfortable lag of his life.
His big win comes with many benefits, starting with entry into next week’s $20m (£15.6m) Memorial tournament and then a place in the US Open at Pinehurst the following week. He has also secured a place in next year’s Masters and is guaranteed a card on the US circuit for the next two years.
Equally important, this triumph adds substance to the conviction he and his many admirers have long held: that reaching last year’s Ryder Cup was no one-off for this talented and intrepid birdie-gatherer.
So the stakes were high (it would have been too much for many) and it all would have seemed crazy to MacIntyre the previous weekend.
So MacIntyre had no visa and no caddie. The first was solved with a call to the Tour headquarters, but the second turned out to be a bigger problem. MacIntyre is a very popular character, but he’s gaining a bit of a reputation when it comes to the bagmen. He’s already been through two this year, which was understandable at the beginning of his American adventure as he struggled with loneliness.
However, he has been improving recently, recording a thrilling tie for eighth at the US PGA a fortnight ago. MacIntyre was a good catch for any looper who landed him, but as things stood last Saturday he was weighing the possibility of hiring a local caddy at the country club an hour south of Toronto.
Finally, MacIntyre called the family home in Oban and told Dougie he was needed. It was a success. “Look, caddies are very valuable here, especially on a course like this where there are a lot of slopes,” MacIntyre said. “I’ve had a few. He’s just different (with his father), because he means it. I know caddies say it for another reason; I mean, obviously they want us to do well, but my dad wants me to do well because we are blood.”
The link is secure. In his role as a greenkeeper and scratch player in his own right, Dougie taught his son the game. He also taught Bob how to play shinty. and even today he encourages him to play with the local team he coaches. Bring MacIntyre back to earth. Even though he should be on Cloud Nine now.
