Ryder Cup 2023: Bob MacIntyre proud to put tears in dad Dougie's eye

Bob MacIntyre dedicated a dream Ryder Cup debut to his parents, revealing his last-day singles success to finish as one of only three unbeaten players on both teams had left dad Dougie feeling emotional.

Bob MacIntyre celebrates with the Ryder Cup trophy following Europe's victory at Marco Simone Golf Club. Picture: Patrick Smith/Getty Images.

“I’ve only seen my dad in tears a few times and it’s for serious reasons,” said the 27-year-old from Oban, speaking to a group of Scottish writers after the obligatory champagne spray from the clubhouse balcony at Marco Simone Golf & Country Club. “Today when I finished on 17 I saw he had a tear in his eye.”

Dougie and wife Carol watched on with pride as MacIntyre beat US Open champion Wyndham Clark 2&1 in the anchor match as Luke Donald’s team regained the trophy with a 16.5-11.5 victory.

“They have given me everything in life, every opportunity I’ve had,” added MacIntyre as he was given a slap on the back by the passing Rory McIlroy. “My dad didn’t have opportunities that I have had. A normal background, a normal family but they wanted to give me those opportunities. They worked so many jobs to give me the chance. It’s everything.”

On a nervy afternoon, it looked at one point as though it might come down to MacIntyre’s match. “I was looking at the board all day,” he admitted. That (missed) putt on 12 that shaved the edge was massive. I thought that would finish the game. Then I missed the wee one on 14.

“But I reminded myself that I won the Italian Open here last year when I missed the exact same putt. I’ve been there, done it and got the t-shirt. I just had to knuckle down. I knew I had to win my point and thankfully I did.

“I’m not sure if I’d relish the role if it came down to me (laughing). I was talking with Shane [Lowry] and Tommy [Fleetwood] before we came out. We were saying ‘surely this doesn’t come down to us like?’

“But, as I’m watching it unfold on the course, I’m thinking, ‘this is coming close, this is coming close’. I was cruising early on. And then I was in a dog fight. I fight like a dog. I’m not scared to admit at times I’m not at my best but when you are out of position and he’s in position, just get it close and hole the putt and move on to the next hopefully unscathed. Matchplay is my kind of game, I fight all the way.”

MacIntyre had picked up one-and-a-half points alongside Justin Rose on the opening two days before claiming the scalp of a current major champion. “Unbelievable,” he said of his week. “What a bond it is with the guys. When I made the team, that was just half the battle. The main thing was to win the Ryder Cup. And we’ve done it. I was an outsider, the four rookies coming in. We didn’t really know the top boys properly. But they welcomed us in with open arms.

It's a great team. They talked about no one being above anyone. We’re all equal. There are guys you look up to as mentors who are the top dogs like Rory, Rahmbo, Justin. It was incredible. The whole spirit has been like a big family.”