Robert MacIntyre fought all through the third spherical of the RBC Canadian Open however finally broke by to card a 4-under 66 and lead the pack by 4.
After going 1-over on the entrance 9, The Scottish golfer went low on the again 9 as he made two birdies and an eagle in three of his final 4 holes to return dwelling in 30 pictures.
MacIntyre confirmed a whole lot of resilience down the stretch to show round his spherical.
The 27-year-old led the sector in strokes gained placing in Spherical 3. He picked up 4.32 pictures on the greens. On Saturday, he made 166 ft of putts, with 133 ft approaching the again 9.
MacIntyre made birdies of 12, 50, and 10-feet. His eagle on the par-5 seventeenth was much more spectacular as MacIntyre sank a 30-footer.
“I feel it’s my angle now. I’ve been in a great mindset from the get-go and had zero expectations in the beginning of the week,” MacIntyre mentioned. “It by no means received away from me. A little bit of luck, a little bit of myself staying within the second, staying calm. I received my reward with the putter in the long run.”
MacIntyre confirmed a lot grit and dedication on that again 9. That tenacity got here from his Dad, Dougie, who reminded him of his arduous work.
“He was having a wee go at me strolling from the tenth tee right down to the golf green,” MacIntyre mentioned. “He may see my head going a bit bit. I flipped into that mode and tried to seek out the constructive in every thing. I attempted to flip the negatives into positives. Began to seek out momentum — when it will get rolling, it’s good.”
Caddies are so beneficial to gamers, however his father’s phrases meant greater than something some other caddie may have mentioned to him at that second.
“My dad needs me to do properly as a result of we’re blood, and there’s no different,” MacIntyre mentioned. “There’s nothing apart from delight and guts and what we’re attempting to do. He’s been by thick and skinny with me. He taught me how one can play golf. It was me, him and my household going round 4 holes at Glencruitten Golf Membership out the again of the home for a few years.”
If his father didn’t set him straight on the tenth, who is aware of how the remainder of MacIntyre’s spherical would have gone. He acknowledged how large a second it was.
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Picture by Minas Panagiotakis/Getty Photographs
“It was one thing to kick me into form, however I used to be attempting so arduous to only get out of my approach,” he mentioned. “It’s so good to have him there and simply preventing with me. It’s nice to have.”
“I used to be mumping and moaning, happening there, however I used to be on the golf green. There’s no drawback. I’m not within the tough. I’m on the golf green. That’s what he tried to say to me, like, let’s knuckle down right here and get on with it.”
MacIntyre leads Ben Griffin, Ryan Fox and Canada’s personal Mackenzie Hughes by 4 pictures. Hughes is one in all Canada’s solely hope for having repeat champions.
Lurking are the likes of Sam Burns, Joel Dahmen, and Tommy Fleetwood, who’re inside 5 pictures. Two long-shot contenders are Rory McIlroy and one other Canadian, Corey Connors, who’re seven again.
Sunday’s nasty climate might be detrimental, however for a Scottish lad, it is likely to be what he must earn his first PGA Tour victory.
Savannah Leigh Richardson is a golf workers author for SB Nation’s Enjoying By. For extra golf protection, make sure you observe us @_PlayingThrough on all main social platforms. You can even observe her on Twitter @SportsGirlSL and Instagram @savannah_leigh_sports.
