McIlroy an inspiration as MacIntyre overcomes drones to claim first PGA Tour win

Robert MacIntyre and his father, Dougie following their win in the RBC Canadian Open

Rory McIlroy came up just short in the RBC Canadian Open but he proved a big inspiration to winner Robert MacIntyre and Japan’s Yuka Saso as she claimed her second US Women’s Open.

Saso admitted before her first US Open win at the Olympic Club three years ago that she often watched YouTube footage of McIlroy’s swing for around an hour before going to sleep.

Her swing again held up under pressure at Lancaster Country Club in Pennsylvania, where she closed with a two-under 68 to win the title by three strokes from compatriot Hinako Shibuno on four-under.

But while left-hander MacIntyre does not swing the club like McIlroy, the Scot admitted the Northern Ireland star, who closed with a six-under 64 to tie for third, has been a role model for him after he shot a 68 to win his first PGA Tour title by one shot from Ben Griffin at Hamilton Golf and Country Club in Ontario.

Despite complaining loudly about the CBS drones that hovered close to him at times, he claimed an emotional one-shot victory, and a place in the US Open, with his father Dougie as his emergency caddie.

“Yeah, Rory's our role model,” said MacIntyre, who has struggled to adjust to the culture shock of swapping the DP World Tour for the PGA Tour. 

“He's a guy I've looked up to for many years. I actually sat with him and Shane (Lowry) at Zurich, and Rory asked me, How were you enjoying it -- or how were you finding the States? 

“He obviously had seen some of the articles, and I was, like, Rory, to be honest, I have struggled, and obviously, he's an only child, so he was able to have family out a lot more.

“We sat and discussed it and obviously from Ryder Cup, we gelled well. Me and Shane are probably more of similar human beings.

“But, no, Rory's someone that I look up to, I can ask certain questions to, and yeah, he's just a role model.”

McIlroy was pleased to put Friday’s two over 72 behind him and card rounds of 65 and 64 at the weekend to put MacIntyre under pressure, eventually finishing just three shots behind the Scot, boosting his confidence ahead of the Memorial, the US Open and the Travelers Championship.

“A good week,” McIlroy said. “Three really good rounds of golf, one not-so-good one. 

“Felt a little out of sorts on Friday. Did a good range session and sort of rectified it. So, overall, three rounds out of four were really good and just that one disappointing one on Friday, but overall after a week off where I didn't feel like I prepared as well as I probably could have, yeah, it was a solid week.”

McIlroy hopes he’s built up a head of steam for the next three weeks. 

But he admitted he was also pulling for MacIntyre, who lost the outright lead early in the day and wobbled with bogeys at the 12th and 13th before playing the last five holes in one-under to claim a one-shot win.

The moment when Dougie MacIntyre starts saying “I’m a grass cutter” and then breaks down 🥹 pic.twitter.com/GHH1zDhjqG

— Dylan Dethier (@dylan_dethier) June 2, 2024

“I mean, Bob and I, we're separated by a body of water in the Irish Sea, but we're actually not that far away from each other where we grew up in Oban and Belfast,” McIlroy said of the challenges MacIntyre has faced adjusting to the PGA Tour. 

“I can absolutely understand. It's a big culture shock compared to the place where he grew up in Oban. You know, travelling around America, it's a different world. Some people adapt a little quicker than others. 

“Everyone has to try to find their right rhythm. It looks like Bob's still figuring that out. It would be great to see him hang on and get that first PGA TOUR win.”

MacIntyre credited his father, Dougie for the role he played in his first PGA Tour win, revealing that his parents would now be mortgage-free as a result of his caddie’s share of the $1,692,000 winner’s cheque.

“He's wanting me to do well just because I'm blood,” MacIntyre said. “He's going to get a nice pay cheque out of it, and my mum and dad will be mortgage-free now, and life's looking a little bit better on that side of things.

“But he just wants me to do well because I'm his son, and there's no angles to it, there's nothing. It's just sheer fight for me. I mean, I fight for him as well.

“I just felt like the guy that's properly taught me the game of golf I'm going to win a tournament with him on my bag, and it's so special.”

As for the drones that bothered him during the round, MacIntyre admitted he called over the R&A rules official, Co Sligo’s Aine Binchy, to complain.

"If it didn't go away, I was going to start throwing my clubs at it," MacIntyre said. "That's how annoyed I was getting. 

“I was standing on the drivable par-four and when everyone's silent, all you can hear is a -- I mean, it's a big wasp. I asked 'em to get rid of it. They did.

"Next hole, I'm in the bunker, and sure enough, everyone's silent, and all I hear is this buzzing again. I look up and here it is. And, I don't know, one of the guys must have been getting sick of me. I just kept turning to him because I knew he was the man to go to when that drone starts annoying me because yesterday on 18 it was the same guy. And he just radioed, Get that drone out of here.

"And then I stood on the ninth fairway, wedge shot in, and sure enough, all I can hear is this drone again, and I was -- I had had enough at that point. 

“Rules official from the R&A was just beside us, and I brought her over, and I said, 'Look, this drone needs to get out of here. I've said it three times now. The drone is annoying me, the drone's putting me off, it's too close.' 

“I mean, it's easier when the blimp’s up there, but it's obviously the weather and stuff and it's just -- I had a job to do, and anything that was getting in my way was getting told to get out of the way. That's just the way -- I was focused today, and that drone was doing my head, and so I told it to get away."

Caddies were a theme at the Canadian Open, but not just for MacIntyre’s father.

Veteran bagman Mike "Fluff" Cowan injured himself in a fall during the final round, forcing his player, CT Pan, to first summon a fan, then another, before settling on a fourth person en route to a final round 69. 

This prompted playing partner Lowry to say, "Fourth caddie? That's a f**king record now!" as he greeted yet another bag handler with a handshake and a big smile.