Leaving Oban was never going to be easy for Robert MacIntyre. The thought of him walking off into the sunset – or at least driving off onto the A85 en route to Glasgow airport – for a new life in Orlando conjures up dewy-eyed images that could be accompanied by the tinkling, melancholic piano arrangement at the end of an old episode of The Hulk.
“There was some emotion leaving home, especially with my little nieces,” reflected MacIntyre, who has rented a pad in Florida where he will base himself as he strives to establish a foothold on the PGA Tour over the next few weeks and months.
“When I was at home, I’d see them every single day, so that’s all going to be a bit different. But when I boarded that plane, or pretty much when I left Oban, I knew this was it.”
Having hummed, hawed and hummed a bit more over the decision to relocate to the USA, MacIntyre was well aware that he had to be 100 per cent committed to the plan.
The straight-talking Scot had his own way of putting it. “I’m not half-a***ing this one,” he added with a statement of intent as he underlined the all-in nature of his pursuit of the American dream.
From the moment his PGA Tour card was locked up – he earned one of 10 cards through last season’s DP World Tour rankings - MacIntyre gauged the opinion of just about everybody on the pros and the cons of life on the PGA Tour during a prolonged period of soul-searching.
From the sage counsel of his family and management team to the pearls of wisdom from some of the world’s best players, the 27-year-old accumulated the kind of valuable insight you’d get from 18-holes in the company of the Dalai Lama. It’s been a big decision.
MacIntyre propelled his young career into a new stratosphere last year when he qualified for the European Ryder Cup team and revelled in an unbeaten debut as Luke Donald’s side swept to victory in Rome.
It was the realisation of boyhood dream. Now, there is another one to aim for.
“I’m not saying a new challenge has given me a kick up the a**e but it has given me a boost of energy,” said MacIntyre of this fresh impetus that comes with an assault on the toughest tour in the world.
“I have dreams I want to achieve and getting the PGA Tour card gives me that extra wee bit to say, ‘right, we need to get to this level now’. For me, it lights a spark and, hopefully, I can achieve the dreams I have.
“I’m giving everything to it. A lot has gone into this. A lot of money is going to be spent and you can also earn a lot. It’s my job and I’m putting everything into it.”
“As a kid, I wanted the chance to play on the DP World Tour. I wanted the chance to play golf professionally.
“I got that and I’ve managed to navigate my way through the world of golf and this (the PGA Tour) is another step. This is another opportunity that I wanted. And it is a great opportunity. The card is good, I have the financial backing and a bit of security because I’ve done well in the past and I can make this big jump.
“I can rent a place for a year, I can join a good golf club out here with great facilities. I’m all-in. This is it. I don’t do things by half measures. If I’m all-in, I’m all-in."
MacIntyre, who was competing in this week’s Somy Open in Hawaii, will travel to the west coast for a couple of events in California – the American Express and the Farmers Insurance Open – before heading for the Waste Management Phoenix Open.
The idea, then, of throwing in a trip back to Oban amid all that would give Phileas Fogg the heebie-jeebies.
“Travelling home between events would not be easy, especially when I’m doing three weeks on and one off,” he said of the value of an American base. “I love home but I couldn’t deal with the time differences.”
There’s another thing MacIntyre is having to deal with. “My biggest worry over here is keeping the weight down as it’s too easy to eat certain things,” he chuckled. “I’m trying to be as disciplined as I can.”
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