Forget the jubilation that greeted the hairdressers, barbers and salons re-opening. Robert MacIntyre’s purposeful passage into the closing 36-holes of his maiden Masters was probably the most celebrated cut made in Scotland this week.
This just wasn’t just a squeeze into the weekend, though, MacIntyre’s delightfully assembled two-under 70, for a level-par aggregate, underlined just what a terrific talent the Oban left-hander is. The 2019 European Tour rookie of the year has now played in the four majors and has made the cut in all of them.
Not for the first time in his burgeoning career, MacIntyre rose to the challenge yesterday and showed that he is more than comfortable on these grandest of stages.
One-over for his round, and three-over for the tournament, heading into Amen Corner – that fabled stretch at 11, 12 and 13 – MacIntyre had little room for error. He emerged from it with great aplomb. He knocked his tee-shot at the 12th to eight-feet and holed the birdie putt before rolling in a 20-footer on the 13th for another gain.
With the prayers answered in that little stretch, MacIntyre then conjured a wonderful shot through the trees from the pine straw at 14 which caught the slope of the green and trickled down to within 10-feet. The subsequent birdie putt was gobbled up with glee. It was a triple whammy of birdies that launched him safely into the weekend.
“I wasn't worried about anything other than getting back in the golf tournament,” said MacIntyre. “That's what I went and done. I'm going to have a chance over the weekend if I can post a good one tomorrow.
“I missed one putt from inside about ten feet. If I don't miss a putt inside, say, ten feet, I score well. I've worked hard on it with my coaches. It's a reward for putting in the practice and learning the golf course as well as I could.”
MacIntyre’s fellow Scot, Martin Laird, also joined him for the last two rounds after a 71 left the four-time PGA Tour winner on a one-over total. It could’ve been better after a trio of birdies at 13, 15 and 16 but back-to-back bogeys at 17 and 18 took a bit of the sheen off a good day’s work.
Sandy Lyle, making his 40th Masters appearance, improved on his opening 81 with a 75 but made an early exit on the 12-over mark.
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