Robert MacIntyre fought all through the third spherical of the RBC Canadian Open however finally broke via to card a 4-under 66 and lead the pack by 4.
After going 1-over on the entrance 9, The Scottish golfer went low on the again 9 as he made two birdies and an eagle in three of his final 4 holes to come back house in 30 photographs.
MacIntyre confirmed a whole lot of resilience down the stretch to show round his spherical.
The 27-year-old led the sphere in strokes gained placing in Spherical 3. He picked up 4.32 photographs on the greens. On Saturday, he made 166 ft of putts, with 133 ft approaching the again 9.
MacIntyre made birdies of 12, 50, and 10-feet. His eagle on the par-5 seventeenth was much more spectacular as MacIntyre sank a 30-footer.
“I feel it’s my angle now. I’ve been in an excellent mindset from the get-go and had zero expectations initially of the week,” MacIntyre stated. “It by no means obtained away from me. A little bit of luck, a little bit of myself staying within the second, staying calm. I obtained my reward with the putter in the long run.”
MacIntyre confirmed a lot grit and dedication on that again 9. That tenacity got here from his Dad, Dougie, who reminded him of his exhausting work.
“He was having a wee go at me strolling from the tenth tee all the way down to the golf green,” MacIntyre stated. “He may see my head going somewhat bit. I flipped into that mode and tried to search out the optimistic in all the pieces. I attempted to flip the negatives into positives. Began to search out momentum — when it will get rolling, it’s good.”
Caddies are so worthwhile to gamers, however his father’s phrases meant greater than something another caddie may have stated to him at that second.
“My dad needs me to do properly as a result of we’re blood, and there’s no different,” MacIntyre stated. “There’s nothing apart from delight and guts and what we’re attempting to do. He’s been via thick and skinny with me. He taught me how one can play golf. It was me, him and my household going round 4 holes at Glencruitten Golf Membership out the again of the home for a few years.”
If his father didn’t set him straight on the tenth, who is aware of how the remainder of MacIntyre’s spherical would have gone. He acknowledged how huge a second it was.
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Photograph by Minas Panagiotakis/Getty Photographs
“It was one thing to kick me into form, however I used to be attempting so exhausting to simply get out of my manner,” he stated. “It’s so good to have him there and simply preventing with me. It’s nice to have.”
“I used to be mumping and moaning, taking place there, however I used to be on the golf green. There’s no drawback. I’m not within the tough. I’m on the golf green. That’s what he tried to say to me, like, let’s knuckle down right here and get on with it.”
MacIntyre leads Ben Griffin, Ryan Fox and Canada’s personal Mackenzie Hughes by 4 photographs. Hughes is certainly one of Canada’s solely hope for having repeat champions.
Lurking are the likes of Sam Burns, Joel Dahmen, and Tommy Fleetwood, who’re inside 5 photographs. Two long-shot contenders are Rory McIlroy and one other Canadian, Corey Connors, who’re seven again.
Sunday’s nasty climate might be detrimental, however for a Scottish lad, it could be what he must earn his first PGA Tour victory.
Savannah Leigh Richardson is a golf workers author for SB Nation’s Taking part in Via. For extra golf protection, be sure you observe us @_PlayingThrough on all main social platforms. You too can observe her on Twitter @SportsGirlSL and Instagram @savannah_leigh_sports.
