Many golf fans were introduced to Robert MacIntyre last September since he was a member of the European Ryder Cup team.
But on Sunday, many casual golf and sports fans got to know him for producing an incredible feel-good story.
MacIntyre, who is spending his first season on the PGA Tour after playing predominantly on the European Tour, won his first PGA Tour event when he captured the title at the RBC Canadian Open in Hamilton, Ontario.
But there was more to the story than just him winning his first PGA tour event.
MacIntyre did it with his father, Dougie, on the bag as a temporary caddie after he parted ways with his regular caddie a week prior.
In need of a caddie, Robert phoned Dougie, a greenskeeper at a golf course in their hometown of Oban, Scotland. Dougie agreed to be on his bag and went on a quick flight to Canada for what turned out to be an unforgettable father-son moment.
When he sank a par putt from roughly 1 foot to clinch the title, the MacIntyres shared a hug and fought back tears of joy during the subsequent on-course celebrations and interviews.
Robert is the first winner of a PGA Tour event with his father on his bag since Heath Slocum won the 2005 Sanderson Farms Championship with father, Jack.
During an interview on CBS after clinching the win, Robert tried to put into the words through the tears at what just happened.
“This is the guy that taught me the game of golf,” Robert said. “I just can’t believe I did this with him on the bag.”
Growing up in Oban, Dougie introduced Robert to the game of golf at the nearby course where he works.
“I’m a grass-cutter, not a caddie,” Dougie said in the CBS interview. “It’s unbelievable. I got phoned last Saturday night. I was sitting on the couch at home. Eight o’clock on Saturday night. I was like, ‘Can I leave my job here?’ I was busy at work. Eight o’clock the next morning and I’m on a flight out here. Wow.”
What also worthy of a “wow” was the first-place payout of $1.7 million won by Robert, of which Dougie got a significant cut of.
That’s assuredly a lot more than he would have been paid working as a greenskeeper as he originally thought he would be doing last week.
Happy Father’s Day indeed.
