Bob MacIntyre makes 'tough decision' by leaving coach who 'felt like a brother'

Bob MacIntyre has never been scared to put his head above the parapet, having done so earlier this year when he described the LIV Golf sign-up figures as “obscene money to be throwing at sport”.

David Burns was both coach and caddie for Bob MacIntyre when he finished joint-second in the 2019 Porsche European Open at Green Eagle Golf Course in Hamburg. Picture: Matthew Lewis/Getty Images.

Without naming names, the Oban man also seemed intent on making his point when posting a tweet that appeared to have been aimed at Sergio Garcia over a foul-mouthed rant by the Spaniard about the DP World Tour in Germany a fortnight ago.

“Amazing how fast you can lose respect for someone that you’ve looked up to all your life,” wrote MacIntyre in his social media message, which received a thumbs up from fellow players.

At this particular moment in time, though, the 25-year-old is steering clear of controversy, having decided to focus purely on himself heading into this week’s 40th Genesis Scottish Open then the 150th Open next week.

Bob MacIntyre during a practice round prior to the Genesis Scottish Open at The Renaissance Club. Picture: Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images.

He’s determined to produce two strong performances in front of his home fans at The Renaissance Club and St Andrews and, while LIV Golf chat may be thick in the air at the moment, MacIntyre is more concerned about a recent significant change in his support team.

Having worked with David Burns since the tail end of his amateur career, MacIntyre has now linked up with Simon Shanks, an English swing guru who had a spell with Eddie Pepperell.

“We had so many phone calls before we did it and I knew it was going to be hard,” said MacIntyre of parting company with Burns, who also works with Calum Hill, another of the Scots to land a maiden win on the DP World Tour over the past couple of seasons. “Davie is like a brother, if I’m being honest. Everywhere I went, he went. It was good in a way and possibly a bad thing in a way as well.

“It’s a job I’m doing, it’s a business I’m running. I am trying to be the best I can be at this sport. And sometimes you have to make tough decisions.”

As was the case when MacIntyre decided to change his caddie heading into the 2020 Scottish Open as Fifer Mike Thomson took over on the bag from Irishman Greg Milne.

“But I don’t take decisions lightly. They’re always calculated. And I feel for now I have made the right decision. I have spoken to Davie about it. We still message each other. It all ended the right way. I spoke to him about it, and I could go back to Davie tomorrow if I phoned him up, I’m sure.”

After ending last year in 51st position, MacIntyre has slipped out of the world’s top 100. But it was much more like it when he closed with rounds of 67-69 to finish just outside the top 10 in the Horizon Irish Open last weekend.

“Last week I felt a buzz back when I was playing golf and, suddenly, I felt we're back in a golf tournament,” he said. “It's been a while since I felt like that. It's just a different voice telling me and different way of doing it.”

“The last wee while, I felt I was relying too much on my touch and, though I’m now starting to swing it a little bit more mechanical, playing the game naturally won’t change.”