Robert MacIntyre has felt some struggles since he moved to Orlando to compete on the PGA Tour. The 27-year-old Scot is a member at Isleworth, and while the club has a great course and solid facilities, “it’s not home.”
Home would be Oban, Scotland, a small resort town with a population of just north of 8,000 people. MacIntyre spent a few weeks back home recently and credited his visit with his upturn in form (he currently sits T-4 at 5 under after a bogey-free round on Thursday, one of just three players to accomplish the feat on day one).
“When I go back home, it’s a lot of friends and family you get to spend time with, my nieces, everyone that’s close to me and really cares for me,” he explained. “When I’m in America, it’s just me, my girlfriend, and we’re trying to — I don’t know, trying to live as good a life as we can. But it’s difficult when we’re both so close to family and friends.”
MacIntyre didn’t know what to expect from life on the PGA Tour, which is vastly different from life on the DP World Tour. This year was all about figuring out his work-life balance and how to handle the more business-like atmosphere on the PGA Tour.
He recently played the Zurich Classic of New Orleans with his friend Thomas Detry, who also sits T-4 at 5 under, and played two rounds with another pal, Ryan Fox, at the CJ Cup Byron Nelson.
“I’ve come this week. I’ve got my mom out. She’s cooking and cleaning for my whole team. I’m having too many cakes and desserts this week. But we’re having a good time,” he said. “Look, when I can be around friends, family, people closest to me, people that actually care about me, they speak to me as Bob the human rather than Bob the golfer. I think that’s when I’m at my happiest, when I’m not talking about golf, golf, golf. Life is actually more important than what I’m doing out here.”
That kind of perspective is rare from a 27-year-old still getting his feet wet at the professional level. If he can keep the good vibes flowing, keep an eye on the Big Mac this weekend.
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