Fired up Robert MacIntyre is ready to give the partisan USA crowds back as much as he gets in pursuit of BMW Championship glory today.
MacIntyre holds a four shot lead over world number one Scottie Scheffler heading into the final round at Caves Valley Golf Club.
The 29-year-old from Oban won the Canadian Open and Scottish Open last year and is now eyeing the most lucrative victory of his career in the second FedEx Cup play-off event.
After two blistering rounds of 62 and 64 over the first two days, Saturday’s 68 was much more of a grind for MacIntyre, who struggled to find the fairways in Owings Mills, Maryland.
He bogeyed the first after a wayward approach shot before a birdie on the par-five fourth, only to find himself in the trees on the fifth, ultimately saving par.
He birdied again on the ninth and was clearly fired up, appearing to angrily gesture at the crowd after sinking a putt to save par on the 14th.
Asked about the jeers he received, MacIntyre said: “I started on the first tee. It probably started when I walked on to the range. It doesn’t bother me.
“We’re in America, playing against their sweetheart Scottie, who I get on well with, he’s a great guy.
“I expected it today and I expect it again tomorrow. You give me crap, I’ll give you crap back. I’m not scared of that.”
He added: “I don’t know if anyone was thrown out, but there was plenty of people to talk to. He [a spectator] was just jeering. He was just shouting I missed it, he’s pushed it – pushed it right in the middle of the hole, I guess.
“I grew up all my days in amateur golf being the one on the outside looking in, face not fitting, really fighting for it.
“What we say on the team, it’s not the size of the dog in the fight, it’s the size of the fight in the dog.
Robert MacIntyre's career wins
October 2017: Sahara Kuwait Championship – 2 stroke win over Luke Joy
November 2020: Aphrodite Hills Cyprus Showdown − 1 stroke win over Masahiro Kawamura
September 2022: DS Automobiles Italian Open − playoff win over Matt Fitzpatrick
June 2024: RBC Canadian Open − 1 stroke win over Ben Griffin
July 2024: Genesis Scottish Open − 1 stroke win over Adam Scott
“I grew up fighting to be in this position.”
MacIntyre will resume his tournament at 16-under, four ahead of Scheffler at 12-under.
“It’s up to me,” said Scheffler.
“He’s playing some great golf, and it’s up to me to go out there and chase him down.”
Sweden’s Ludvig Aberg is in the mix too at 10-under with England’s Harry Hall and American Sam Burn a further two shots back.
MacIntyre’s brilliant week has seen him rocket up 17 places in the FedEx Cup standings to third.
The top 30 this week make it into the season-ending TOUR Championship at East Lake next week.
Akshay Bhatia is battling for the final few spots in Atlanta and is currently 28th in the standings, helped by a brilliant hole-in-one on the 17th hole at Caves Valley on Saturday.
“When that golf ball goes in, it was the craziest thing in the world,” said Bhatia, who also won a new car for his ace. “I couldn’t even feel my body.
“I don’t really necessarily need a new car – I’m pretty happy with what I’ve got.
“I think either I’ll give it to my caddie or figure something out to where I can donate it to charity or something.”
talkSPORT 2 will have live coverage of the BMW Championship at Caves Valley Golf Club in Owings Mills. Maryland