Robert MacIntyre’s title as the world’s highest ranked lefty is under threat from South African sensation Garrick Higgo.
Higgo, 21, last Sunday strolled to an effortless three-shot victory in winning the Gran Canaria Lopesan Open with a 25-under par total.
It had taken the Joburg-born Higgo just seven Tour starts last year for his breakthrough win at the Portugal Open and now in a further 17 events he’s won a second Tour title and the seventh of his pro career.
And at this rate, and in what is now a first full season, Higgo could become the second lefty in three years after MacIntyre to win the coveted European Tour Rookie of the Year title.
As well, Higgo and MacIntyre are also good friends having played together in the final round of last year’s Cyprus Open where they each shot 65 to share third place behind England’s Callum Shinkwin.
Win no. 2️
Watch @garrick_higgo‘s final round highlights from his victory at the #GranCanariaLopesanOpen 📹
— The European Tour (@EuropeanTour) April 26, 2021
A week later, MacIntyre won for a first time on the main Tour in capturing the Cyprus Showdown on the same Aphrodite Hills layout and some seven weeks after Higgo secured his maiden Tour win in Portugal.
Higgo said: “Bob and I get on really well and not just being both left-handed
“It was good to play with him last year in Cyprus as we both finished third the week before he won, so it meant both of us had won a first event on the Tour which was nice.
“So, I’ve known Bob before that week and we get on fine.
“I recall I had an eagle putt that week on the last hole to tie the lead but made birdie and just before that Callum Shinkwin eagled the hole to win.”
Higgo revealed though he’s not a true lefty in that anything he does one-hand such as write or play sports like tennis, he is right-handed.
It’s the same with his boyhood idol and fellow lefty Phil Michelson who has always been observed at events signing autographs right-handed.
Higgo said: “I am useless at playing golf right-handed. I wouldn’t even go there.
“When I was in primary school, they forced me to write right-handed but I’ve remained left-handed at golf but if I play tennis, I’m right-handed.
“And being left-handed at golf, I have always looked up to (Phil) Mickelson obviously and I like his game.
“It is a little bit like mine, every now and then I hit it off the planet and make some good saves.
“My coach is right-handed so it is quite nice actually because I just use him like a mirror image. He just stands in front of me and shows the same thing”.
And as predicted by Record Sport, Higgo has jumped 45 spots to be the new World No. 65th and the second-highest ranked lefty in the world behind MacIntyre who remained at No. 46.
Higgo and MacIntyre will next compete in the same event in a fortnight’s time at the BetFred British Masters.
However, Higgo has back-to-back events these two weeks in Tenerife before the pair meet-up again at The Belfry and with Higgo asked if there was now any added incentive to take MacIntyre’s title as the world’s top-ranked lefty?
Higgo said (smiling): “No, nothing like that. We’ll just both be trying to win and like everyone in the field.”
