Bob MacIntyre shows he is Scotland’s hero with plans for Open Championship

Bob MacIntyre has a huge assignment this week as he looks to win his first major when the Open Championship begins at Royal Troon, but that will not prevent him from savouring his incredible Scottish Open victory on Sunday.

Home favourite MacIntyre went four-under-par on his final five holes at the Renaissance Club to snatch victory from Adam Scott at the last, sparking jubilant celebrations as he exorcised the ghosts of 12 months ago when he was on the receiving end of a similar surge from Rory McIlroy.

For everyone else in the field that has qualified for the Open, attention turned to Royal Troon and the Claret Jug as MacIntyre’s winning birdie putt dribbled over the lip and into the cup on the 18th. But MacIntyre plans to revel in this moment and celebrate “hard” with his loved ones and worry about the Open later.

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“Next week’s a new week, but I’ll tell you one thing, I’m going to celebrate this with my family and my friends and everyone here,” he told Sky Sports after his victory moment on the 18th green. “I’m going to celebrate this one hard. We’ll pitch up to the Open when we pitch up to the Open.”

Oban native MacIntyre is due to be in Troon on Monday afternoon when he is among three players due to speak to the media, alongside Brian Harman and Ludvig Aberg. But in his winner’s press conference on Sunday evening, he joked that he might not be much value in front of a microphone.

“What time is my press conference tomorrow, 3pm? I don’t think I’ll be legally able to drive by then,” he laughed.

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MacIntyre has enjoyed a dream 12 months, playing a vital role in Europe’s Ryder Cup triumph as a rookie in October before earning his PGA Tour card. The 27-year-old has since won his first PGA Tour event, claiming victory at the Canadian Open last month, and he made it two big-time wins in quick succession by lifting his national open title.

“I had a chance to achieve a dream that I really wanted to get,” he told BBC Scotland. “I’m Scottish, I’m a die-hard Scot and everyone knows that. I wear my heart on my sleeve and I’m through-and-through Scottish. It was the only event as a kid I got to watch. My mum and dad used to take me and a few of my mates to Loch Lomond to watch the Scottish Open.

“I never forget those moments. It’s just the one I wanted. The majors are now the ones I want, but I wanted the Scottish Open and I got it.”