Bob MacIntyre's parents open up on proud Ryder Cup day for family in Rome

As Bob MacIntyre headed home to Oban for a party before making his first appearance as a Ryder Cup winner on Scottish soil, his parents spoke of their pride about watching him play a part in Europe’s weekend win in Rome.

A smiling Bob MacIntyre enjoys having his hands on the Ryder Cup in the European team locker-room in Rome. Picture: Bob MacIntyre

“It feels unbelievable,” said dad Dougie, who introduced MacIntyre to golf and is the head greenkeeper at Glencruitten Golf Club in Oban.

Referring to the 27-year-old last-day singles success against US Open champion Wyndham Clark, he added: “He was under pressure the whole day. Last man out and it looked for a long time that it was going to come down to his match. When he missed a short putt on 15, I thought ‘oh no, he’s starting to crumble here’, but he then picked it up again.

“The win on Saturday (in the second-day fourballs) alongside Justin Rose was massive. You just have to look at him now (celebrating with his team-mates just after they’d picked up the trophy). Bob doesn’t show his emotions very often and he’s dancing down there.”

MacIntyre admitted that a message from his mum Carol in a video arranged on European captain Luke Donald’s behalf had made him cry at the start of the week.

“I’m sure it just gave him a bit of realisation what it meant just to the town. It takes a village to raise a child, it’s not just a mum and dad. The whole of Oban, Argyll and Scotland is behind him,” she said.

“It’s not just for Bob; this is for everybody. At first, you have to dream and there (pointing to Bob with his team-mates as they celebrated) is a dream. The support he’s had has been phenomenal. We’re normally against the English (laughing), but Justin Rose just took Bob under his wing and this is the result. Luke Donald, everybody in fact, has just been so kind and generous with their time. It’s phenomenal - what an experience to share with your family!”

MacIntyre enjoyed the celebration with his team-mates and led a rendition of I’m Gonna Be (500 Miles) by The Proclaimers on the team bus heading back to the hotel on Sunday night. And the party will be continuing back in Oban.

“Declan [Curran], a guy back home couldn’t make it,” he said. “He owns the Lorne Bar, the best restaurant in Oban. I said to him ‘if we win the Ryder Cup you are shutting that place and we’ll have a party’. And we are. Everyone close to me will go there and enjoy it. Then I’ll pitch up at the Dunhill (Links, which starts on Thursday and is also featuring Tommy Fleetwood and Matthew Fitzpatrick). I don’t know when!”

MacIntyre described being a Ryder Cup winner as the “best” achievement of his career and the goal now is to be back on the team defending the coveted trophy at Bethpage Black in New York in two years’ time. “I’m a realist,” he said. “I don’t know if this will be the only Ryder Cup I play in or the first of many. I’ll do what I do. I hope this is one of many. I know what I do in life is a bit risky and I know it might never happen again. But I’ll do everything I can to get back in this team whether it’s next time or in a few years. If this is the only one, then I’ve achieved a dream I’ve held since I knew I was half decent at golf. I want this to be one of many.”

MacIntyre’s beloved shinty team, Oban Celtic, staved off relegation in the final game of the season on Saturday. “It’s been the perfect weekend,” admitted Dougie, who manages the team. “Avoided relegation at the shinty – we shouldn’t be celebrating just doing that, but we have and we’ve got a very young shinty team – but this surpasses everything, everything!”