- Bob MacIntyre finished two shots off US Open champion JJ Spaun on Sunday
- It’s the Scot’s highest finish at a major and he is now ranked No 12 in the world
- With the British Open just a month away, MacIntyre has found some new belief
Out of the heartbreak of his near-miss at the US Open has emerged a sense of certainty within Bob MacIntyre that he will win a major championship.
His runner-up spot behind JJ Spaun at Oakmont was his highest finish in one of golf’s big-four tournaments and it has also launched the Scot to a career-best ranking of world No 12.
Having set the clubhouse lead on Sunday with a brilliant 68 in hideous weather, the 28-year-old believed he had done enough to win, only for Spaun to hit the shot of his life on his way to birdieing the 17th before nailing a 65-foot par for another at the last. Spaun won by two.
MacIntyre said: ‘I thought I had this one, to be honest.
‘Obviously finishing sixth in The Open at Royal Portrush (in 2019) was my best finish, but it was a back-door effort.
‘But this was different. There’s no reason why I can’t win a major championship in my career and that’s my goal now. I said I wanted to win the Scottish Open and I got that (in 2024). I just want to win majors now.’
Bob MacIntyre set Sunday’s clubhouse lead with a brilliant 68 in hideous weather at Oakmont
But JJ Spaun birdied the 17th and the 18th to move ahead of the Scot and win his first major
Despite his near miss, MacIntyre now believes he has the game to go on and win a major
MacIntyre, who has won twice on the PGA Tour after initially struggling to adapt to life on the circuit, added: ‘If I’d won this one it was going to be unbelievable — it would have been something special. But to see a guy hole a putt like that to win, I take my hat off to him, fair play.
‘I am starting to see things happening with my game — driver, putter, everything. I feel things coming and just have to keep going and keep going until I get that result.’
MacIntyre’s result will effectively seal his involvement in this year’s Ryder Cup after making his debut in 2023.
He said: ‘That’s where I want to be. I want to play every Ryder Cup from now until the day I retire and this is a massive step for that to happen this year.’
