Bob MacIntryre vowed to “celebrate hard” before teeing up in the 152nd Open at Royal Troon on Thursday as the new Genesis Scottish Open champion.
In one of Scottish sport’s greatest moments, the Oban man holed a 20-foot birdie putt on the 72nd hole to pip major champion Adam Scott at The Renaissance Club in East Lothian.
It was the first success by a home player in the event since Colin Montgomerie did the trick at Loch Lomond in 1999.
Now MacIntyre is heading to Ayrshire with his sights set on becoming the first Scot since Paul Lawrie, who achieved his feat the same year at Carnoustie, to get his hands on the Claret Jug.
“I don’t think I will,” replied the 27-year-old to being asked how he’d come down from such a high, having heard the home fans sing ‘Flower of Scotland’ as they celebrated his stunning success in the $9 million Rolex Series event.
“I think I will just try and ride the wave and next week, yeah, it’s The Open Championship. That means, again, a lot to me.”
MacIntyre, who is expected to rise to a career-high 16th in the Official World Golf Ranking on the back of a second PGA Tour win this season, has been listed on the interview list at Royal Troon on Monday.
But, before turning his thoughts to being among four players flying the Saltire in the season’s final major, he openly admitted: “You’ve got to celebrate the good times because it doesn’t happen a lot and this is one I said I wanted.
“I’m going to celebrate this win with my friends and family, everyone that’s here. I don’t think they are going to be home tonight. My best mate is working on Coll tomorrow morning – and he ain’t going to Coll tomorrow!
“I’m going to celebrate hard and I’ll pitch up when I pitch up. Whatever time I tee off on Thursday, I’ll try to win the championship. There might be some alcohol still in the system, but I will try my best.”
In one of his interviews after landing a £1.2 million top prize, MacIntyre talked about how he’d been brought up by his parents, Dougie and Carol, to fight for everything.
Asked later what had made him say that, he said: “I’m from a working-class background. I’ve got two older sisters my parents foster. We’ve got a foster boy just now that’s been with us for six, seven years.
“I was given a great opportunity by my whole family. We used to have a horse for my sisters, and couldn’t afford to do both, and my sisters gave up the horse and gave me a chance to go and travel some within Britain.
“And I was out grafting, practising when I was young, and yeah, it was never given. I’m from the west coast. It’s been difficult, obviously, weather-wise, but your face doesn’t fit exactly because you’re not a Central Belt built guy, and I just have to graft at it. The biggest thing for me was never give up.
“A lot of people might say, he doesn’t quite have this, he doesn’t quite have that, but I’ve got fight and that’s all I need.”
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