Super Scot Robert MacIntyre, and while admitting to a little tired following an impressive debut Masters, proved he still has plenty of bite in brilliantly saving par late in his round at the alligator-infested waters at the RBC Heritage.
MacIntyre only just found the water right at the par-3 14th but after a penalty drop on the edge of the green the Scot rolled-in a 12-footer in an eventual one-under par 70 on the Harbor Town course at Hilton Head in South Carolina.
Former Open Champion Stewart Cink bogeyed his first and then produced an eagle and seven birdies in a nine-under par 63 to enjoy the clubhouse lead by two shots from England’s Matt Wallace.
MacIntyre drove the some two-and-a-half drive south-east from Augusta on Monday afternoon to accept a sponsor’s invitation into the $US 7.1m and he made the most of right from the outset.
He holed a 14-footer for the first of three birdies at the second hole but gave shots back at the seventh and eighth hole before landing his second shot to just five-feet from the flag at the short par-4 ninth hole for a second birdie.
The Oban lefty than pared the next three ahead of landing his second shot some 30-feet right of the flag at the 13th for a third birdie of the day.
There was the heroics at the next with no-one about to go looking for MacIntyre’s tee shot given the presence of ‘gators but given the smile on the young Scot’s face he was just so pleased to walk off with a ‘3’.
The wind began to pick-up over his closing few holes with greens staff using blowers to clear many greens of pine needles on the very tight, tree-lined course.
MacIntyre ended his round with five closing pars to be just inside the top-50.
He said: “It was solid enough. I played steady golf and got a couple of good breaks early on to save par.
“Other than that, the wind started getting up, so it was just par golf. It was good as just what you’re used to back home in the wind. It’s not a golf course when it’s windy that you can get at.
“The scores earlier on showed definitely that it was obviously really calm in the morning and then picked up in the afternoon so happy with one-under.”
He was then asked how he felt in what is now his sixth event in his eighth week in the States.
He said: “I took Monday off, practiced Tuesday, but I was lethargic. Only practiced for about an hour yesterday. I’ve saved as much energy as I can just to get me through the week.
“Then again, I’m here to compete. I’m here to try to win a golf tournament. But I’m not going to go practice now, I’m going to go back and chill out. Me and my caddie are staying in a house.
“Yeah, just save some energy and go for it tomorrow.”
Russell Knox had earlier signed for a level par 71.
