Bob MacIntyre in Memphis mix as Richie Ramsay sits close to Prague pace

Bob MacIntyre is set to be within touching distance of the halfway lead on his FedEx Cup Play-offs debut while Richie Ramsay and Connor Syme are both in contention heading into the weekend in the DP World Tour’s first event following a summer break.

MacIntyre, who comfortably qualified for the US circuit’s showpiece final three events after winning both the RBC Canadian Open and Genesis Scottish Open, followed an opening 67 in the FedEx St Jude Championship at TPC Southwind in Memphis with a second-day 66.

In his opening effort, the recently-turned 28-year-old holed a monster par putt on the 17th hole before knocking in a 33-footer for a closing birdie. On this occasion, he’d mixed six birdies with two bogeys before saving par at the last from six feet.

Bob MacIntyre plays his shot from the seventh tee during the second round of the FedEx St. Jude Championship at TPC Southwind in Memphis. Picture: Andy Lyons/Getty Images.

“Yeah, overall I think I've played well,” said MacIntyre of sitting on seven under, four shots behind clubhouse leader Denny McCarthy after the American signed for a 63 in his second circuit.

“Yesterday I struggled a little bit on the back nine. Energy levels started getting low because of the heat. Today we made a couple of poor bogeys around the same stretch as yesterday, but you're going to have those mistakes. To be honest, overall it's been a decent two days.”

In his first outing since The Open, the Oban man missed the cut in the Wyndham Championship, the final regular event of the season on the PGA Tour, but that was essentially to try and shake off any rust from a break at home.

“It was good,” he said of that. “I had probably about nine, ten days where I didn't touch a golf club after The Open, went back home, spent a lot of time with friends and family. Just kind of my normal chill-out.

Richie Ramsay plays his second shot on the ninth hole on day two of the D+D REAL Czech Masters at PGA National OAKS Prague. Picture: Octavio Passos/Getty Images.

“Then I came back out to Isleworth (his base in Florida) before the Wyndham, and obviously the Wyndham was a bit of a shambles with the weather, but it was a good kind of build-up for this. It got me knowing where my game was at and what I needed to tweak coming into these last three. I'm feeling good about the game.”

MacIntyre came into this week’s $20 million event sitting 17th in the FedEx Cup Standings. He’s definitely set to be in the top 50 for next week’s BMW Championship in Denver and is also looking good for the top 30 for the season-ending Tour Championship.

“I think I'm in a very, very good position to make East Lake, but I try not to think about what's ahead,” he said. “I'm just trying to win this week, and then once this week is done, we go and try and win in Colorado. It's as simple as that. “Every week we pitch up, we try and win the golf tournament, and if we don't do that, then finish as high as we can.”

Meanwhile, Ramsay sits just one shot off the lead in the D+D REAL Czech Masters after opening with impressive scores of 65 and 67 at PGA National OAKS Prague.

On 12 under par, the four-time tour winner sits just one shot off the lead, held by Frenchman David Ravetto, with compatriot Syme also in the mix at the halfway stage on ten under.

“I'm definitely no spring chicken,” said 41-year-old Ramsay after signing for seven birdies in his second round after making eight on the opening day. “I would say I’m more towards the autumn of my career, but you know, I still love doing what I do.

“I like getting up in the morning. I like going to the gym. I like playing competitive matches. I like the grind of the practice. I still love that.

“I had a little quote, it was: It's not the pursuit of happiness, it's the happiness in the pursuit. I wrote it down and I've just got to always remember that because I do love going out and playing there.”

In his first event since getting married during the circuit’s summer break, Syme added a 65 that included an eagle and six birdies, five of which came in the opening six holes, to his first-day 69.

“I'm buzzing to be back,” said Syme. “It's been a few weeks off, but obviously still lots of golf to play this season and I'm really excited to be here. New course, got my wife with me as well, which is nice. We're having a good time in Prague, so it's been fun.”