ALTON, Ont. – Bob MacIntyre authored one of the finest stories of 2024 on the PGA Tour schedule when he fell into the arms of his father, tears in his eyes and lifelong dream achieved a year ago.
Now he’s hoping for a second chapter.
The affable Scotsman who is quick with a smile comes into the RBC Canadian Open as the defending champion, looking to become the first golfer to go back-to-back since Jhonattan Vegas in 2016-17. He won last year at Hamilton Golf and Country Club by one shot over Ben Griffin, after a last-minute call to his father to have him caddie for him.
MacIntyre – who has since moved back to Scotland – had struggled with an adjustment to life in the United States and had started the year missing four of his first seven cuts. Things turned around as spring turned into summer and MacIntyre notched a tie for eighth at the PGA Championship before coming to Canada and opening with a 64.
He’d go on to shoot three more rounds in the 60’s to notch his maiden PGA Tour title. His father, Dougie, is a greenskeeper back home in Scotland and made a last-minute jaunt across the pond (including a pit stop in Ottawa to acquire a very last-minute Visa) to loop for his son.
“It was unbelievable. Not just to win, but to win my first PGA Tour event and to do it in Canada – as a left-hander, I felt somewhat at home. To do it with my Dad on the bag was probably the most special thing I’ll ever do in the game of golf,” MacIntyre said.
Ah, yes – being left-handed.
MacIntyre is one of just a few on the PGA Tour, and was pleasantly shocked, he said, at how much support he received. He had initially thought the support he would receive would be similar to any of the other PGA Tour events to that point.
“I’m Scottish. I’m not really cared about, to be honest,” he said with a laugh. “But when I pitched up in Canada, it was a different vibe. I had fans. I had support, being left-handed. I remember getting on The Rink (hole) one of the days and my dad was laughing because they were doing the ‘Olé’ chant. It was then we realized we were in Canada and not America. The fan support was unbelievable.”
MacIntyre would go on to have an even bigger win a month later, as he captured the Genesis Scottish Open, his home country’s national open. An even more magical triumph, coming by one shot over Adam Scott after he made an eagle on the par-5 16th Sunday (hitting an incredible approach from 248 yards away to just six feet) and adding a birdie on the 72nd hole.
That’s two national open titles in a span of five weeks. These events do tend to bring out some big names, as Rory McIlroy – who is in the field this week and is a two-time winner – has long been a supporter.
“I’m a big advocate of national opens. Being from Europe we obviously have a lot there and I just love them because it adds an extra buzz from the crowd and if you get that, and you get that on your side it can only help,” MacIntyre said.
The defending champ had plenty of crowd support on his side last year, and although he’s got a new caddie now, he’s hoping for the same kind of result 12 months on – despite it being at a different golf course.
He did, however, manage to make it back to Hamilton Monday for a memorable game at the site of his maiden Tour triumph. And his dad was alongside again, but playing with him instead of caddying.
“The Canadian Open – if I don’t win a major, it’ll be one of the most special things I’ve ever done,” MacIntyre said.