Bob MacIntyre’s management company is rightfully celebrating but in the bigger picture with just two Scots inside the top-100 on the World Rankings it is a sad reflection for the Home of Golf nation.
MacIntyre, 23 has leap-frogged Russell Knox and is up 13 spots to be the new World No. 86 and with Knox down one place to World No. 88 after his top-30 finish in the Houston Open.
Bounce Sports, who manage MacIntyre, tweeted their delight declaring: “Top Jock.
“He’s also jumped to 7th on the Race To Dubai.
“An incredible achievement from walking out the front door as a Professional golfer for a first time less than 2 years ago.
“… And to think it’s still only the start…”
Scotland’s Bob MacIntyre finds himself the top World Ranked Scot. (Photo – European Tour/Getty)
In fact, 14-months ago MacIntyre was ranked a lowly No. 1028th in the world but secured the biggest Rankings jump moving up 437 places in finishing runner-up mid last August in the Finish Challenge on the secondary Challenge our.
At the end of the 2018 MacIntyre was still on the move and up to the World No. 278th.
MacIntyre then in May jumped to No. 191st on the back of a share of second at the British Masters while the Oban lefty was up to 123rd in also being tied second in the Made in Denmark event.
The rookie Scot rose to 102nd after his very eye-catching share of sixth in the Open Championship, and now after just 26 events on the main European Tour MacIntyre is the Tartan nation’s top-ranked male golfer.
However, just two Scots inside the top-100 is very poor when compared to nations not known as golfing strongholds.
The United States rules the World Rankings with 42 players inside the top-100, and headed by World No. Brooks Koepka, while England is next best with 12, Spain and South Africa has five, Australia and South Korea four and Denmark three.
Scotland shares two inside the top-100 with Ireland, Japan, France, Sweden, Italy, Canada and Thailand whose main sport in Thai boxing.
MacIntyre is already exempt into next year’s 149th Open after his Royal Portrush finish and now being inside the top-100 he will be exempt into the 2020 PGA Championship.
Though top of MacIntyre’s golfing wish list is to end 2019 inside the world’s top-50 that would earn him the most prized item of mail in all of golf – an invitation to the 2020 Masters.
Knox had reigned as Scottish No. 1 for near on four years since capturing the 2015 WGC – HSBC Champions in Shanghai.
Both he and MacIntyre will meet in Shanghai on October 31st for the 2019 version of the event and with MacIntyre making his debut.
