Robert MacIntyre’s golfing to-do list just became a little bit shorter after winning the RBC Canadian Open for his first PGA Tour title.
Before that, the 27-year-old had triumphed in a Ryder Cup team, collected the Scottish Amateur crown, and lifted a couple of trophies on his home professional circuit – the DP World Tour.
In addition, the Oban-born player became the leading Scot in the OWGR list for the first time in his career during October 2019 – following on from the likes of Colin Montgomerie, Paul Lawrie, and the man he overtook at the time, Russell Knox. MacIntyre only turned pro in 2017.
But still to cross off includes achievements like winning a Major, bringing home a Ryder Cup on US soil, and – crucially – becoming the World No.1.
Speaking in the days after his maiden PGA Tour triumph from his family home in west Scotland, MacIntyre laid out his top targets but insisted he would not become constricted by the desire to meet them.
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MacIntyre said: “Yeah, I mean, I don’t know what’s going to happen from here. I mean, I’m just playing golf the best I can week in and week out.
“Look, I want to be one of the best players in the world, if not the best player in the world. But it’s not easy, it’s difficult. I mean, you see so many good players never, ever become World No.1.
“All you can do is try your best and trust what you’re doing – trust the team around you and see where you end up.”
MacIntyre is as close as he’s ever been to hitting that World No.1 target, too, after reaching World No.39 in the aftermath of his Canadian Open victory – a career best.
That arrived off the back of a T8 at the PGA Championship and a T13 at the Myrtle Beach Classic – a tournament he co-led after the first round – but also a couple of missed cuts.
Either way, the left-hander admitted he has felt a change in his belief levels over the past few weeks – expedited to new heights after the job was completed on Sunday.
(From L to R) Dad and caddie Dougie MacIntyre, Robert MacIntyre, and Robert’s girlfriend Shannon Hartley pose next to the RBC Canadian Open trophy
(Image credit: Getty Images)
But MacIntyre is also adamant that his recent success would not change him and he remains focused on achieving his remaining dreams.
MacIntyre said: “I think, lately especially, the last six weeks and that run of six events that I’ve just done, something changed – and the results have shown that.
“And to get over the line, it opens doors, yes. But I’m not going to change as a person. My golf game is probably not going to change an awful lot. Going swing is not going to change, but it gives you belief that you can win on the PGA Tour. It shows that I can win at the highest level.
“You can believe it as much as you want, but until you do it, you’ll never know. And to do it the way I’ve done it was pretty special.
“I’m just delighted to get over the line, to be honest. I never make things easy when I win golf tournaments – it’s always the difficult way – but, yeah, it was a special, special win.”
