ROBERT MACINTYRE came roaring back from a disappointing personal end to the opening day of the Ryder Cup to help Team Europe make history on Day 2.
The Scots golf ace was out in the morning foursomes yesterday but wasn’t able to put another blue point on the board, as he and partner Viktor Hovland lost to US pair Patrick Cantlay and Xander Schauffele.
MacIntyre, 28, was one of many European players targeted by hecklers at Bethpage Black, with one of the New York fans shouting “get some cardio” at the Scot.
Things have ramped up a notch on the second day of competitions, with Rory McIlroy telling a rowdy member of the crowd to “shut the f*** up” and fellow Irishman Shane Lowry launching into a “F*** YOU” at a heckler who put off his teammate when trying to putt.
MacIntyre was back out with Hovland in the second day’s morning foursomes session and this time the duo delivered with a 2&1 win over world number one Scottie Scheffler and partner Russell Henley.
It was a huge scalp for the Europeans and took the scores to 8.5 to 3.5 in their favour, the first time the margin has been this big at this stage for a European team away from home since 1987.
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MacIntyre himself admitted after losing his first match that he should have handled the abuse better, but said the verbals are to be expected “when the bar opens at 9.30am”.
Some fans on Twitter had accused him on bottling it down the stretch on the opening day.
One said: “Bob was like a Rabbit caught in the headlights. Sadly he crumbled in they last few holes”.
Another said: “Unfortunately allowed crowd to get in his head on 17 after doing so well to get back to being tied.”
But MacIntyre stood up to the test today alongside Hovland and after their round he won even more plaudits on social media for what he said in an interview.
He said: “We’ve got guys like Viktor to back you up, guys in the changing room, support staff, family and friends and our fans as well.
“We’re doing this not just for ourselves but for everyone that’s here.
“But I was just delighted to do it with this guy”, as he gestured to Hovland.
The Norwegian replied “my man”, and fans were loving the interaction.
One wrote: “What a terrific human.
“He should get the Nicklaus-Jacklin award this year, pure dignity and class.”
Another fan said: “Best thing to come out of Scotland since Irn Bru is Bob Mac.”
A third said: “Love to see Team Europe‘s chemistry.”
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Another said: “He took some stick off a brainless US crowd and now he’s letting his game do the talking. Well done.”
And in similar vein to Hovland, another fan wrote: “What a guy.”
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