Tommy Fleetwood likes what he sees in rookie Bob MacIntyre

Tommy Fleetwood paid European Tour rookie Bob MacIntyre a huge compliment after getting his first glimpse of the promising young Scot as his playing partner in the final round of the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship. 'He looks good. He is probably better than I was at 22,' said Fleetwood of the left-hander from Oban. 'He does more good things than I did at that age.'

Bob MacIntyre has a bright future according to Tommy Fleetwood. Picture: Getty.

In closing with a one-over-par 73 – his worst score of the week – to finish just outside the top 60 with a 286 total on his Rolex Series debut, MacIntyre didn’t feel he’d done himself justice. However, Fleetwood, 28, winner of this event for the last two years, said he’d seen enough of his fellow Challenge Tour graduate to predict a bright future.

“He was impressive. He has a good attitude,” added the Ryder Cup player. “From what I saw, he strikes it very well and has a good all-round game. He is very smart and golf-savvy. As long as he stays on the right path, he’ll be fine. He has a good outlook. He’ll do very well.”

MacIntyre is making a habit of being paired with the game’s leading lights, having played with two-time Open champion Ernie Els and 2011 Masters winner Charl Schwartzel in South Africa last month.

“You can’t buy the experience I’ve had in my last three events,” he said. “To make the cut here first week out when I’m still a bit rusty was pleasing and it was good to play with Tommy today. He’s still quite young himself. He’s taken the same steps I have to get here and it is definitely an incentive to see how well he’s done.”

The former Scottish Amateur champion squeezed as much as he could from seeing Fleetwood close up. “You’re watching all the time to see what they are doing and, while I thought I was good from tee to green, I was shown up today by Tommy,” admitted MacIntyre.

The Scot now faces a 36-hole qualifier to try to get into the Omega Dubai Desert Classic.