Robert MacIntyre admits he would have snapped-up a top-20 finish at the start of his new season last week in Abu Dhabi.
MacIntyre muscled his way to a share of 16th place with fellow Scots Stevie Gallacher and Scott Jamieson at six-under par in the 2021 opening Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship while MacIntyre’s solid showing in the UAE capital was also in stark contrast to a year ago when a niggling wrist injury forced him out of the event.
He said: “Yes, I would have snapped it up in taking a top-20 at the start of the week.
“The way I drove the ball, and especially over the last day, was pretty similar to how well I was hitting on Saturday so overall six-under par over the four days was very pleasing and tough, windy conditions.
Robert MacIntyre on route to a 16th place result in last week’s Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship – Photo: Getty/European Tour
“The good thing also I hadn’t touched a club for some six weeks until last week, so I was delighted how well I played in Abu Dhabi.”
The trio of Scots – MacIntyre, Gallacher and Jamieson went straight into 16th place of the 2021 Race to Dubai after prize-money each of £stg 70,329.
MacIntyre, however, has dropped a spot to 13th on the European Ryder Cup points table, and after five weeks, and when he picked-up four places on the World Rankings to rise as high as No.51, he’s dropped a spot to No. 52 after a first event with a scorecard in his back pocket.
Also, McIlroy has made the hour drive north to Dubai and this week’s Omega Dubai Desert Classic with fond members of securing eighth place a year ago, and also in what was his first event since a few months earlier in Dubai when crowded the 2019 European Tour ‘Rookie of the Year’.
He said: “I’m looking forward this week to Dubai because the more I play, the better I start playing. I had a good result at the Emirates Club a year ago finishing top-10, so seeking to go even better this week.”
And while MacIntyre may have dropped a place on the World Rankings he’s still got to March 23rd to ensure a first Masters invitation.
He said: “That’s still the goal to pick-up a few more places on the World Rankings. I still have some good events coming up and all I will do is just keep working hard on the game.”
And while MacIntyre may have dropped a spot on the Rankings fellow Scot Marc Warren made one of the biggest Tartan leaps up 59 places to World No. 162nd on the back of fourth in Abu Dhabi.
It is the 39-year-old Glaswegian’s highest ranking since he was placed 166th in mid-2016.
Russell Knox also on route to a 16th place finish in the American Express
Four spots behind Warren is the PGA Tour-based Scot Russell Knox back up to 220th in the world following also his share of 16th in the American Express at La Quinta, California.
Knox was just a handful of shots from the lead heading to the final round and was inside the top-10 with a hole to play before ending with a triple-bogey ‘7’ in a round of 73 for a 12-under tally and 11 adrift of Korean Si Woo Kim who shot a last round 64 to win by a shot and collect a third PGA Tour title.
Knox said: “The putts just dried-up the last day with just two birdies through 17 holes and then to have what happened at the last was a disappointment.
“Except for that one hole, I played beautifully this week, and I’ve made enormous improvements in my putting is a big plus coming out of the week.
“I’ve got the Farmers Insurance this week at Torrey Pines and really looking forward to the week.”
MEANTIME –
Drumoig’s Connor Syme will make it nine Scots teeing-up at this week’s Omega Dubai Desert Classic after having been afforded an invitation to tee-up on the famed Emirates Club course.
Syme is making a second showing in the event having missed the cut in 2018.
