MacIntyre's Major Journey and Recent Form
Bob MacIntyre has achieved five top-10 finishes in major championships, marking him as a consistent contender on golf's biggest stages.
"I'm a guy that believes. Having a chance to win a major is what I dreamed of as a kid."
These optimistic words were spoken by MacIntyre shortly after narrowly missing out on the US Open title at Oakmont last June.
His gracious response in the scorer's room, captured on video and widely viewed in the golf community, came moments after JJ Spaun sank a 64-foot putt that denied MacIntyre his first major victory. This display of sportsmanship contributed to the positive perception of the Scottish golfer at that time.
Following his runner-up finish at the US Open, MacIntyre secured another top-10 placement at The Open Championship later that year and played a key role in helping Europe retain the Ryder Cup at the energetic Brookline venue.
He concluded 2025 ranked seventh in the world and entered 2026 with expectations of a major breakthrough.
However, the current year has presented more challenges than triumphs for MacIntyre.
While not a disastrous year, his performance has been mixed. A tie for fourth place at The Players Championship in March stands out as a significant accomplishment, but such highlights have been scarce.
His subsequent event, the Valero Texas Open, saw him share second place, indicating strong form heading into the Masters Tournament the following week.
Unfortunately, MacIntyre struggled at Augusta, posting rounds of 80 and 71 which resulted in missing the cut. Reports indicated he was reprimanded by the club for inappropriate conduct, including a middle-finger gesture directed at the 15th green after a quadruple bogey.
MacIntyre's remarkable sportsmanship after Spaun's decisive putt remains a memorable moment in his career.
'He's Got Life Going On'
The golfer from Oban also missed the cut at the US PGA Championship in May and had not finished higher than 42nd in any event since the Masters, prior to his recent performance at the Canadian Open.
MacIntyre holds a special connection to the Canadian Open, having won the tournament in 2024 with his father Dougie serving as his caddie. His 15th place finish there, achieved with four rounds in the 60s, suggested a potential resurgence ahead of the third major of 2026.
Shinnecock Hills, the host course for this year's US Open, is known for its rigorous challenge, particularly its slick and demanding greens that famously caused Phil Mickelson to hit a moving ball during the 2018 tournament.
Brooks Koepka won the 2018 US Open at Shinnecock with a score of one over par. In 2004, when Shinnecock last hosted the US Open, only Mickelson and champion Retief Goosen finished under par.
The historic course located on Long Island near New York City is a formidable test, especially for players seeking to regain form. Nevertheless, one individual familiar with MacIntyre's game and character anticipates his return to top form soon.
"I don't think he's got a golf issue going on at the moment, I think he's got life going on. As Jack Nicklaus used to say, life gets in the way and you've got to deal with it,"said former Ryder Cup captain Paul McGinley during a US Open media conference call.
"He's just had a baby a few months ago, just before the Masters... it's not derailed him, but it's an adjustment in your life.
"He'll settle down, he'll figure that out, and he'll come back again. His form has not been what we would have expected the last two or three months, and I think that's the reason why."
Shinnecock Hills underwent renovation by the renowned Coore-Crenshaw firm in 2013.
McGinley, speaking alongside colleagues Rich Lerner and Brandel Chamblee—who will cover the US Open for the Golf Channel—believes that Shinnecock's fast fairways and breezy conditions will suit MacIntyre's style of play.
"He's a dogged competitor. He's got a huge heart. There was a reason he was played down the order on the last day of the singles. We have a lot of belief in him,"added McGinley, who advised captain Luke Donald during MacIntyre's Ryder Cup appearances.
"He loves the fight. I'm a huge admirer of his game. He's a wonderful putter, he's won on links courses and growing up in Scotland, he's very familiar with the kind of conditions at Shinnecock Hills."
The course setup at Shinnecock could be advantageous for MacIntyre, despite his current ranking of 46th in driving accuracy on the PGA Tour this season.
World number one Scottie Scheffler recently visited Long Island and was surprised by the relative width of the fairways compared to typical US Open venues.
While the rough beyond the fairways is challenging, the primary difficulty in this US Open is expected to be the slippery greens.
This aligns with the profiles of past Shinnecock champions, such as Corey Pavin, a shorter hitter who excelled with his wedge play and putting to claim victory in 1995, and Retief Goosen, who demonstrated exceptional touch and composure on the greens in 2004.
MacIntyre will take encouragement from his Canadian Open performance, but to improve upon his near-miss at last year's US Open, he will need to rely on his renowned short-game skills and maintain composure throughout the week.
