By Martin Dempster - The Scotsman
Bob
MacIntyre is heading back to The Masters for the first time in three
years truly believing he can emulate fellow Scot Sandy Lyle by winning a
Green Jacket, according to two former major champions.
The
Oban man finished joint-12th in his debut appearance at Augusta
National in 2021 to clinch a return trip 12 months later, when he
narrowly missed out on a place in the top 20 in the season’s opening
major.
He’s had to sit out the last two editions after failing to secure an
invitation, but the 28-year-old is now gearing up for an
eagerly-anticipated return to the Georgia venue next week as a world’s
top-20 player after winning both the RBC Canadian Open and Genesis
Scottish Open last year.
Lyle created history as the first player from the UK to claim a Green
Jacket in 1988 and, though it will be a tall order for MacIntyre to
emulate his compatriot, former US Open champions Curtis Strange and Andy
North both believe the current Scottish No 1 is making this journey up
Magnolia Lane with a genuine chance.
“He's
got speed. He's got talent. He's won now,” said double US Open winner
Strange, speaking in an ESPN media conference call ahead of the 89th
Masters, which gets underway next Thursday, of the left-hander. “It's
hard to put into words the importance of winning and what that does for
just your self-belief.
“Do
you walk around with your chest puffed out all day long? No, but when a
shot comes out the next day or the next month or next month at the
Masters, you know down deep inside that you've done it under the gun.
You believe in yourself a little bit more.
“Whoever wins The Masters this year is basically the same player that
they were the day before. The difference is, if it's a young kid, the
belief in yourself, the confidence to do it again and again and again.
It's huge. He has that right now.”
North,
who also landed two title triumphs in the US Open, talked up MacIntyre,
who will be the sole Scot in the field on this occasion after having
Lyle for company on both his previous appearances and Martin Laird, too,
for the first one, as well on the same call.
“I
don't see Bob being much of a different player today than he was maybe
two years ago,” said the ESPN golf analyst. “I just think for the first
time, he really believes that he can do it, and that's such a big part
of it. I think deep down, he knows he can win. He knows that he can beat
these guys. I don't think he knew that two or three years ago.”
