Scottie Scheffler on his 'bond' with Bob MacIntyre and that 'cool' win for Scot

World No 1 heaps praise on Oban man for ‘doing really good job’ on and off course

Scottie Scheffler may have been in tears the previous day after suffering a record defeat and ending up on a losing US team in last year’s Ryder Cup in Rome, but that didn’t stop him showing he is a class act.

As most of his American team-mates departed from the closing ceremony at Marco Simone Golf Club as quickly as possible, the world No 1 made a point of going over to Bob MacIntyre, a member of the triumphant European team, to shake his hand.

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It wasn’t a random gesture as the pair had also been on opposing teams in the 2017 Walker Cup in Los Angeles and Scheffler, the game’s current dominant force, has spoken about how he values the bond that has been created with the Oban man.

Bob MacIntyre celebrates after holing his title-winning birdie putt in the Genesis Scottish Open at The Renaissance ClubBob MacIntyre celebrates after holing his title-winning birdie putt in the Genesis Scottish Open at The Renaissance Club
Bob MacIntyre celebrates after holing his title-winning birdie putt in the Genesis Scottish Open at The Renaissance Club | Harro How/Getty Images

“You're the one who asked me about the money earlier,” said Scheffler to this correspondent, having been asked in a press conference ahead of his title defence in this week’s Hero World Challenge in the Bahamas about a recent report claiming that the US players are set to be paid in next year’s Ryder Cup in New York.

“When we played the Walker Cup, I think we were both just as passionate about winning the Ryder Cup. We have tremendous pride in our countries and the teams that we play for.

“Having those bonds in amateur golf, I know we had a dinner for all the players at the Walker Cup and I sat next to Bob and we just had a good time cutting up and chatting. He's always a fun guy to mess around with just because he's fun to be around.”

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On the back of winning seven times, including The Masters, The Players Championship and Tour Championship, Scheffler is in the running for the PGA Tour’s Player of the Year Award along with Xander Schauffele, a double major winner in 2024, and Rory McIlroy.

Given he landed a breakthrough win on the circuit in the RBC Canadian Open with his dad, Dougie, caddying for him then added the Genesis Scottish Open a few weeks later, you wonder how close MacIntyre came to making that short list and Scheffler, for one, has enjoyed seeing what the 28-year-old achieved in his first season as a card holder.

“Yeah, watching him win the Scottish Open was pretty cool,” he admitted with a smile. “That was pretty fun for all of us to watch. Getting to watch him win his home championship was really cool. You saw the emotion, and Bob's such a tremendous guy that it's fun to see him have that success.

Defending champion Scottie Scheffler speaks to the media ahead of the Hero World Challenge in the BahamasDefending champion Scottie Scheffler speaks to the media ahead of the Hero World Challenge in the Bahamas
Defending champion Scottie Scheffler speaks to the media ahead of the Hero World Challenge in the Bahamas | Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images

“You know, I just always appreciate seeing guys succeed that put in the work and Bob's a guy that I see out here practicing and doing the right things. I think he took care of some stuff personally by going home, taking a break and making sure he's good mentally to come back out and play.

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“Stuff like that I think's really important. I think Bob's done a really good job of managing his life at home and managing his success out here as well.”

Someone else who enjoyed watching MacIntyre become the first home player since Colin Montgomerie in 1999 to win the Genesis Scottish Open was Sahith Theegala. As MacIntyre’s title-winning birdie putt on the 72nd hole dropped at The Renaissance Club, the American was captured in a video celebrating up on the clubhouse balcony.

“Yeah, that was an awesome moment,” admitted Theegala as he recalled it ahead of joining MacIntyre as a first-timer in this week’s Tiger Woods-hosted event at Albany Golf Course. “I love watching the finish of golf tournaments, and that crowd at the Scottish Open was crazy, especially the following for the last group with Bob.

“I'm not going to lie, I was definitely rooting for him. I love Adam Scott, but I was really rooting for Bob there just to see his reaction because I know it would mean the world for him to win that. It was pretty surreal watching it live.

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“It felt like the putt took 30 seconds to get to the hole. I'm sitting there, oh, he must have missed it by now, the ball hasn't gone to the hole. To see it in slow motion drop in and the reaction, it was unbelievable. I was kind of scared that the balcony I was on might fall, everybody was jumping up and down. That was a really cool moment just to see how much it meant to him and all the followers around.”

Aaron Rai, who was in the same position at the same venue four years earlier after beating Tommy Fleetwood in a play-off to land the biggest win of his career and has since tasted success on the PGA Tour as well, was also up on the balcony as MacIntyre raised a roar that was probably heard on the Fife side of the Firth of Forth.

“Yeah, it was fantastic,” said the Englishman, who is also making his debut in the Bahamas event. “Funnily enough, Sahith was probably ten yards to the right of me and on a slightly lower level, me and my dad were watching it from the balcony of our room and we were right behind Bob's putt. Honestly, it's probably one of the best atmospheres I've ever experienced.

“Even though me and Sahith were not in there, it was just fantastic to watch it. And what happened afterwards, I had goosebumps just being there. It was an absolute privilege to witness that moment. Obviously extremely special for Bob.”

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And in this writer’s eyes - and with all due respect to winners Glasgow Warriors - it’s a bit baffling, to be honest, that it still wasn’t deemed to be Moment of the Year in the Scottish Sports Awards.

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