Canada sure has a flare for the dramatic, eh?
But this tournament, with its long and storied history, hasn’t relied on superstars to generate drama.
Hell, the last two years, drama’s fell into their lap, a burden more than anything.
In 2022 the tournament was played opposite the first-ever LIV Golf event.
Rory McIlroy won the tournament that week and immediately called out Greg Norman.
That gave me a little extra incentive today and I’m happy to get it done."
But that’s beside the point.
No one knew it was happening.
It was a teary Sunday yet again up North thanks to the MacIntyres, plural.
Robert MacIntyre isn’t your average PGA Tour professional.
This is first year playing full-time in America and it hasn’t been the easiest experience.
Im from a small town on the west coast of Scotland," he said.
“A lot of people never leave Oban.
My whole family and friends are there.
Theyre probably always going to be there.
Its just difficult when I come over here, me and my girlfriend.
Were trying to make it home, and its difficult when youve not got that family connection.
Were giving it our best shot, but its completely different to home life.”
They’ve set up shop in Orlando and he’s been practicing out of Iselworth.
But, at least a few weeks ago, he wasn’t loving it.
I thought that moving to the U.S. was the only way of achieving my dreams in golf.
I dont know if thats the answer.
Thats why Im probably going to go home after the next couple events.
Ill go home to Scotland rather than go to Orlando.
His very next event was the PGA Championship, and his mom came out to support.
He contended for three-plus days and finished tied for eigth.
Fast forward a few weeks and it was a family affair yet again.
So he called his dad, Dougie, a greenskeeper back home.
“Unbelievable,” is how Dougie put it.
“I’m a grass cutter…” he said through tears as an adoring crowd watched on.
After the round the younger MacIntyre could hardly believe how it had all played out.
“It was incredible,” he said.
It’s just sheer fight for me."
MacIntyre chose against playing in this week’s Memorial, which he qualified for with the win.
Jack’s tournament has a massive purse and massive FedEx Cup points up for grabs.
But for Bobby Mac, that’s not what life’s about.
He headed home with his dad for what he calls “a hell of a party.”
It’s a bad week to be a pint in Oban.
They should be reversed.
The Heritage is an awesome tournament with a rich history of its own.
That, after all, is their differentiator.
I know there are scheduling issues with Canada’s short golf season and an already-packed summer schedule.
But man, it just seems like such a logical decision.
These are the exact pop in of events the tour should lean into.
Not everyone was able to charge up the board like that.
The first viral event was, of course, Nelly’s 10.
Next came the public’s absolute fascination with Charley Hull’s cigarette smoking.
Pictures of her smoking were absolutely everywhere.
Hull is a colorful character.
She was the star of the show.
An ambitious fan even slipedp her his number.
I’m a fan.
All that said, I don’t fully understand the cigarette obsession.
And I’m not even an anti-nicotine guy.
Alas…
Saso is a deserving winner.
Her swing’s pretty much perfect, and she now has two U.S. Open titles before her 23rd birthday.
That’s in addition to sharing the record for the youngest-ever winner of the U.S. Women’s Open.
That stat blows my mind every time I hear it.
The U.S. Women’s Open isn’t played on the same dates every year.
The odds of both of them winning at 19 years, 11 months, 17 days are astronomical.
A compelling weekend at Lancaster despite a dearth of superstars on the leaderboard.
Elsewhere…
Bernhard Langer continues to be an ageless wonder.
Again, four months after Achilles surgery.
For a guy that’s closer to 70 than 60.
Ernie Els wound up winning the event.
Hamilton Golf Club was a tough walk all week in Canada, and C.T.
Pan’s caddie Fluff Cowan took a spill and couldn’t continue caddying on Sunday.
Now there’s a story.Hey, you won’t believe what happened at the golf tournament today!
LIV Golf is back in action this week at Golf Club of Houston.
MacIntyre is theonlyeligible player who’s not in the field at the Memorial.
Should be an action-packed week on an excellent golf course with all of the PGA Tour’s top guys.
I’m here, and I’m excited.
Until next week,
Dan
