Robert MacIntyre is hoping a return to home soil for this week’s Alfred Dunhill Links Championship will inspire him to maintain his revival in fortunes.
The Scotsman arrives in his homeland in good spirits after he won his second DP World Tour title in Italy earlier this month and backed it up with a top-ten finish in France last week.
MacIntyre made the decision to change coach shortly before The 150th Open Championship at St Andrews in the summer and believes he is now reaping the rewards for his patience since the move.
“I started doubting myself in Denmark, wondering if it was the right thing I had done,” he said.
“I spoke to a few people, Stoddy [MacIntyre’s manager, Iain Stoddart] being the main one and I just have to trust everything I do.
“Everything is instinct and it felt right to change and it turns out it was a good thing.
“I’ve been playing well lately and it’s good to get back on home soil with a little bit of form.
“My game is in good shape. I’ve been looking at stats for the last kind of five weeks and obviously I’ve seen a trend, what was happening. So, it was always good. It was looking good.
“But getting results is a different story and to finally see some good performances is always a bonus.”
MacIntyre, who won his maiden Tour title in Cyprus on his way to receiving the Sir Henry Cotton Rookie of the Year Award in 2019, is set for his sixth consecutive event this week.
Ahead of playing at St Andrews’ Old Course, Kingsbarns and Carnoustie, the 26-year-old is eager not to put too much pressure on his shoulders as he continues his longer-term pursuit of a spot at the 2023 Ryder Cup.
“This is a big week for points and whatnot but there’s still such a long way to go that one week doesn’t make or break what’s going to happen in the next year,” he added.
“The Ryder Cup is the goal and I’ll do everything to get there.”
Major Champion Shane Lowry is one of several European counterparts who have backed MacIntyre to make Captain Luke Donald’s team at Marco Simone Golf & Country Club next September – something which fills him with great confidence.
“That's massive. It's brilliant to have the respect of major champions like Shane,” he continued.
“He's been there, done it at every level in golf. He's at a level of golf that I'm not quite at. He's played and won majors and he's played in Ryder Cups.
“That's what I'm trying to get to. It's cool to hear these words but again I have to knuckle down and trust everything I do and keep pushing.
“The last couple of weeks, or five weeks, has showed that my game has not gone. It's right there again. It's going out there and doing it over and over again.”
