Bob MacIntyre hails Andy Murray as 'Superman' but says he's 'not used enough in Scotland'

Bob MacIntyre has hailed Andy Murray as “Superman” and wants more to be done to not only ensure the tennis star leaves a fitting legacy but also inspire as many young Scottish sports people as possible.

Andy Murray celebrates victory against Australia's Thanasi Kokkinakis after a five-set epic at the Australian Open. Picture: William West/AFP via Getty Images.

MacIntyre, Scotland’s top-ranked male professional golfer, used that description for Murray in a post on social media following his compatriot’s epic five-set win over Thanasi Kokkinakis in the second round of the Australian Open.

Speaking to The Scotsman in the United Arab Emirates, where he is competing himself this week in the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship, the Oban man looked as though he was almost bursting with pride as he reflected on Murray’s latest heroics in Melbourne.

“He’s a machine,” said MacIntyre of his compatriot. “I switched it on halfway through the first set and you were thinking, ‘this boy is too good with his serve’ but then he’s fighting for the third set and you could just see the attitude change.

Bob MacIntyre in action during the second round of the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship at Yas Links. Picture: Andrew Redington/Getty Images.

“It was just unbelievable and I love that. I love watching it. I’ve watched his documentary, so that gives me a bit of an eye-opener about what he’s doing now. It’s just stupid.”

Murray, 35, who has a metal left hip, recovered from losing the opening two sets to his Australian opponent to claim a memorable win in a contest that lasted five hours and 45 minutes.

“Everyone can take a bit from that and it’s what I try and show,” said MacIntyre of the 35-year-old’s never-say-die attitude. “You can see him getting annoyed with himself, but he just somehow pulls it out of the bag and it’s inspirational and I think Scottish sport across the board should be using that to their advantage and building tennis courts and getting him involved.”

Murray’s performance has been saluted around the world and MacIntyre, a proud Scot, was delighted to see the reaction. “It’s brilliant,” he said. “But I don’t think it is getting used enough. We’ve had one of the best tennis players of the era come from our country, but I don’t think we promote it or use it enough. We don’t give kids the opportunity to see it and it’s the same in all sports. I’ve seen it in golf since growing up. We don’t get enough guidance.

“I was lucky to get some guidance from the am to pro, but there’s not enough through all sports. I watch it in football. My age group in Oban growing up had some cracking footballers, but they didn’t have a pathway to take the step. I hate to see it.”

After carding a second successive 70 at Yas Links, MacIntyre sits on four-under, six shots behind Italian duo Francesco Molinari and Guido Migliozzi, at the halfway stage in the first of a Rolex Series double-header in the UAE.

Scott Jamieson, who led heading into the final round 12 months ago, is in contention again, sitting just two shots off the pace, with Marc Warren and Grant Forrest both on five-under and Ewen Ferguson alongside MacIntyre.

“I’m happy enough to make the cut, but the way I’m playing I should be right in this,” commented MacIntyre. “I’m hitting the ball as good as I have in a couple of years, but the putting has deserted me this week. Last week (in the Hero Cup) I putted really good and I thought we had found it, but this week I’m back to being Zorro!”