By Democrat reporter
Robert MacIntyre is back in Scotland as he prepares to defend his Genesis Scottish Open title this month.
The Oban star, 28, scored an emotional victory at the Renaissance Club near North Berwick last year, just 12 months after being pipped to the trophy by Rory McIlroy.
The victory was MacIntyre’s second on the PGA Tour and his biggest win to date, although he came close to eclipsing it at last month’s US Open.
The Scot surged into a share for the lead on the final only for JJ Spaun to record two birdies on the closing two holes to take the title.
But it means MacIntyre will enter a crucial few weeks in a positive frame of mind. Just a few days after the Scottish Open, The Open will take place at Royal Portrush.
MacIntyre posted a video of himself on social media teeing off at the famous first hole at Machrihanish Golf Club on the Kintyre peninsula. Regarded by many – including 18-time major champion Jack Nicklaus – as one of the best opening tee shots in the world, players feeling bold can navigate the Atlantic Ocean and beach to their left in order to find the fairway.
MacIntyre captioned the video: “Canny beat some links golf” along with a Scottish flag emoji. Machrihanish is located on the west coast of Kintyre, roughly five miles from Campbeltown. The journey from Glasgow takes over three hours by car across 140 miles, although there are only 65 miles between the two locations as the crow flies.
Designed by golfing pioneer Old Tom Morris, Machrihanish is widely regarded as one of the best courses, not just in Scotland, but the world. Golf Digest said those who make the journey are rewarded with “one of the game’s greatest opening tee shots” and “some of the most rugged dunes known to links golf”.
The Genesis Scottish Open gets under way on Thursday, July 10 and will finish on Sunday, July 13 before The Open gets underway on July 17. Among those joining defending champion MacIntyre at the Scottish Open are world number one Scottie Scheffler, defending Open champion Xander Schauffle, and Rory McIlroy, who earlier this year completed golf’s grand slam by winning the Masters.