Bob MacIntyre heading to Asia rather than US in bid to boost Ryder Cup hopes

Bob MacIntyre has decided to focus on the DP World Tour over the coming weeks in a bid to boost his Ryder Cup hopes rather than try and earn a crack at one of the new $20 million prize pots on the PGA Tour.

After playing three weeks in a row, starting with the inaugural Hero Cup then a Rolex Series double-header in Abu Dhabi and Dubai, the Oban man has decided to sit out this week’s Ras Al Khaimah Championship.

However, MacIntyre will be back in action next week in the Singapore Classic at Laguna National before he also tees up in the Thailand Classic at Amata Spring the following week.

The Scottish No 1 has opted to head to Asia rather than trying to secure an invitation in the Genesis Invitational, one of the events that now have an elevated status on the PGA Tour.

Bob MacIntyre's appearance in the inaugural Hero Cup was the first of three straight weeks on the DP World Tour. Picture: Andrew Redington/Getty Images.

MacIntyre made the most of an opportunity handed to him last year in the tournament hosted by Tiger Woods at Riviera Country Club in Los Angeles as he finished in the top 15.

On the strength of that effort alone, he’d have been in with a chance of being invited back, but the 26-year-old is in no big rush to head to the US at the moment.

He’s made no secret that his No 1 goal this season is to play in the Ryder Cup in September and winning the Italian Open at Marco Simone Golf Club outside Rome was the perfect start in that quest.

The left-hander then boosted his credentials to be one of the rookies on Luke Donald’s side by picking up three points out of four in the Hero Cup in Abu Dhabi, where he also ticked lots of boxes in the team room.

Strong performances in Singapore and Thailand can help MacIntyre make a third consecutive appearance in the WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play in Texas next month, meaning he still has time to break back into the world’s top 50 before the final cut-off for The Masters.

That will be based on the Official World Golf Ranking published during the week prior to the season’s opening major, with 1988 winner Sandy Lyle currently the sole Scot in the field.