We’ve all had to get used to something of an isolated, hermit-like existence these past few months.

The reality, therefore, of suddenly being confronted by great swathes of boisterous, bawling American golf fans must have generated the same kind of uneasiness you’d get among the cabinet as they sat down to watch the Dominic Cummings testimony.

“It's so different over there,” reflected Robert MacIntyre of the exuberant pandemonium at the US PGA Championship last weekend which was not what you’d call an exemplar in social distancing. “Sometimes I hit the ball into the crowd and I was saying to my caddie, ‘right, we've got to get everyone back and as far away as possible'.

“It is just the way we have been re-taught how to go about life, not being close to anyone, and you are almost fearful of people. I was wary of what was going on. Everyone wants crowds back. But it’s going to take a bit of getting used to.”

The Kiawah Island showpiece featured the biggest crowds MacIntyre has experienced in the covid world after months of limitations on spectator numbers. Things will be a trifle more tranquil in the European Tour’s secure bubble in Denmark this week as MacIntyre competes at the Made in Himmerland event.

For the first time in a wee while, the 24-year-old will tee-up as the second best lefty in the world after Phil Mickelson’s epic, historic US PGA win propelled him past MacIntyre again on the global order.

“Hat's off to Phil, he's overtaken me in style,” said the Oban man with a smile. Having doffed his hat to Mickelson, MacIntyre, who finished in a share of 49th at Kiawah Island, is now trying keep a cap on his own lofty ambitions.

“I need to lower my expectations a little bit,” he conceded. “I'm still young, but my expectations are so high of myself. No one puts that on me, it's just me.

“I expect so much to happen in such a short space of time but I feel I need to sit back and let things happen. It's hard to say it and hard to do it, but I've just got to do that.”

This week’s European Tour stop was the scene of another of MacIntyre’s spirited showings during his rookie season on the circuit two years ago. In an absorbing, nip-and-tuck duel with Bernd Wiseberger on the final day, MacIntyre’s bold bid came unstuck on the 17th when he clattered his tee-shot on the penultimate hole out of bounds.

Wiesberger would win by a single stroke and MacIntyre had to settle for his second runners-up finish in succession on the tour.

“That 17th cost me the tournament, but the hole has been changed this year so there's a positive,” he said with a wry chuckle.

“My golf game's not changed much since then, but I've just matured as a golfer. When I'm in contention I have a bit more maturity around what we are trying to do and a bit more conviction.”

MacIntyre made the hop from Kiawah Island to Atlanta before boarding a flight to Amsterdam and on to Denmark. After an exacting major championship week, it must have been tempting just to head back home to Oban. “You keep going,” he said of the onwards and upwards approach you need to adopt in this globetrotting game.

“You’re disappointed more weeks than you’re happy out here playing golf. The finish (at the US PGA) wasn’t the way I wanted to finish but the stats show we’re in the right place and doing the right things. It’s about staying patient and letting things happen. I keep saying it. I’m over-enthusiastic when it comes to certain things, I just need to calm it down a little bit and let it be. What will happen, will happen.

“Once I’m away from the golf course I’m so chilled out. At the course I’m a bit more uptight and wanting to do well. On the flight from America I went to sleep and woke up with 20 minutes to go before arriving in Amsterdam. Once I’m away from it, I don’t worry about it.”

It’s back to it today.