Sore day for Scots in Italian Open after Bob MacIntyre pulls out due to back strain

Bob MacIntyre’s title defence ending prematurely due to a back injury signalled a sore day in more ways than one for the Scottish contingent in the second round of the DS Automobiles Italian Open in Rome.

Grant Forrest had a rollercoaster ride in his second round of the DS Automobiles Italian Open at Marco Simone Golf Club. Picture: Naomi Baker/Getty Images.

Out of a nine-strong starting Caledonian contingent, Grant Forrest, Scott Jamieson and Richie Ramsay were the only ones to make the cut after some crazy scoring on the first two days at Marco Simone Golf Club.

As Frenchman Matthieu Pavon cemented his two-shot overnight lead by adding a 70 to his opening 63 to sit on nine-under, Forrest’s second circuit on the course that will stage the Ryder Cup in September was a rollercoaster ride.

Two under for the day after six holes, he followed a first bogey of the day with a triple-bogey 7 but, in a brilliant bounce back, then went eagle-bogey-birdie-birdie as he eventually signed for a second successive 71 to sit just outside the top 30 on level par.

Helped by an eagle-2 at the 11th, where he holed out from 47 yards, Jamieson signed for a 73, two more than Ramsay as they progressed to the final 36 holes on one over and two over respectively.

Stephen Gallahcer, the top Scot after an opening 69, missed the cut after a second-round 76, with Calum Hill, Connor Syme, Marc Warren and Ewen Ferguson also making early exits.

MacIntyre withdrew before heading out in the second round early on Friday morning due, according to his managment company, to a “niggling back strain that started at the beginning of the week just restricting things too much to continue”.

In a post on Twitter, MacIntyre said he hopes it is “nothing too serious” and will have a week to rest before the PGA Championship, the season’s second major, at Oak Hill in Rochester the week after next.