Bob MacIntyre thrills his Oban Celtic shinty pals as big-hearted gesture bankrolls gift amid the 'carnage'
Bob MacIntyre reckons his Oban Celtic shirt-lobbing has paid for the shinty team’s mini-bus for a few months.
The Scottish golf star lifted the lid on the fabulous response to his exploits during the “carnage” of last week’s WM Phoenix Open. MacIntyre wowed the crowds on the famous 16th party hole in Scottsdale as, kitted out in team’s kit, he launched replicas into the 16,000 crowd around the par three.
Not just that, the Scot also attached a hand-written note and a 20 dollar note to each jersey for the lucky recipients to buy themselves some beers. MacIntyre’s gesture thrilled the galleries and the Oban club and he smiled: “Aye, they are and they’ve actually had a few sales on the shirts and I think they are delighted about that. I think it will pay for the mini bus for a few months.
“Look, obviously, it brings awareness of what I am doing to shinty. But, for me, it was just a bit of fun with the crowd and trying to get them on your side in some way. The plain and simple thing about it was trying to have a bit of craic and fun.
“I thought it went down well and the No 16 for the hole was on every shirt I threw out. I just put a few dollars in the bundle as well for them to get a beer and get a wee bit louder. I think we threw away 18 or 19 shirts and everyone had one [$20 note] on it. When they got the shirt, they were like: What the hell is this? And find it’s $20 and start to think: Fair play.
“It came about from the sheer fact that I thought: What could I do on the 16th hole? I was meant to bring them last year, but I only got into it late, so they were back home in Scotland. So this year when I knew 100 per cent I was playing I brought them over. It was absolutely brilliant. I think there is a place for that in the game of golf.
“Obviously not every week. You don’t want that every week because it is carnage. That’s the only word for it. But I absolutely loved it and, for me, there are two things with that environment. You can either hide from it or you can meet it head on and I am one of those guys who tries to meet these things head on and have a bit of fun with it.
“They are having fun at me and laughing at me if I hit a bad shot, so I am thinking: Well, I might as well bring some attention to myself and just embrace it. And that’s what I tried to do.”
MacIntyre, who starts out today in the Genesis Invitational, is building a rapport with the US fans as he continued: “Yeah, I think so. I obviously had a good season last year. They were memorable wins, they weren’t just regular wins. What happened last year was just incredible in terms of how it all happened.
“So I am a lot better known out here, but it’s my job. When I got on the 16th tee last week, for instance, as much as I am trying to get them on my side, I am trying to hit golf shots that are going to keep them as quiet as I can.
“If I hit a good shot next to the hole, there will be a reaction. But I don’t need them roaring and screaming. I also don’t want them booing me. So if there’s just a little applause, then I’ve done my job. Obviously wearing the shirt brought a bit more buzz to the whole arena, but I was playing golf.”
MacIntyre is in San Diego with a European crew aiming to extend the continent’s terrific early-season run. Success for Rome heroes Sepp Straka and Rory McIlroy were followed by Thomas Detry in Arizona and the Belgian will again be the Oban man’s partner at the Zurich Classic in April.
The pair could team-up against USA at The Ryder Cup in Bethpage in September and the Scot, who stayed at greenside to watch his pal triumph, said: “It is absolutely brilliant and delighted for him.
“I didn’t really know Tom until I played the Zurich with him. Mike, who caddies for me now, set that up for us and since then we’ve become close. My girlfriend and his wife have also been close ever since.
“Tom has been an unbelievable player for years and, wow, he bulldozed over the line and I was there and not rushing away. It was the done thing. European guys stick together!
“I want to be on that team at Bethpage and I am starting to build up the points and move up the rankings. I am trying my best to get there, but there’s a lot that goes into that first before I can. When you look at the strength and depth of the European guys out here and I just think it is good for European golf and the DP World Tour to see the progression.
“I mean, Tom has done it the exact same way I’ve done it. From Challenge Tour to DP World Tour to PGA Tour on a world stage. I think it’s brilliant to see the pathway works. There’s a lot I am looking forward to. Getting back to The Masters. I absolutely love the place and the history of the place. One of my favourite places in the world, so getting back there is obviously special and going there with two decent performances in my two previous appearances.
“And then obviously Portrush [The Open]. There’s just so much good things going on this year. There’s no big event that I’m not playing in and playing top-level golf on some of the top courses on the planet makes it an exciting year.”
