Robert MacIntyre hailed the impact of a trip home to his beloved Scotland after finding his form with an opening 66 at the US PGA Championship.
The two-time DP World Tour winner has a good record in Major Championships, making his first ten cuts with two top tens before missing the weekend at this event 12 months ago.
He was back playing the weekend at The Open Championship last year as he earned dual membership with the PGA TOUR via the Race to Dubai Rankings in Partnership with Rolex but he would admit it has not been all smooth sailing in the United States.
After one top ten and five missed cuts in ten PGA TOUR events up until the end of March, he headed home to Oban and since his return to his base in Orlando, he has secured another top ten at the Zurich Classic of New Orleans alongside Thomas Detry and finished 13th at last week's Myrtle Beach Classic.
A bogey-free start at Valhalla Golf Club has continued that improvement and MacIntyre is in no doubt of the reason behind his upturn in form.
"I'm comfortable out here, I'm comfortable around the top guys just now," he said.
"My game hadn't been as good but there's been good form coming into this and I'm a happy person just now.
"I managed to get home for three weeks and spend time with the people closest to me and that's when I play my best golf, when I'm in a happy mindframe.
“It’s no secret I’ve been living in America and its been tough. It’s not like Oban.
“When I go back home, it’s a lot of friends and family you get to spend time with, my nieces, everyone that’s close to me and really cares for me.
A bogey-free 66 to start for @robert1lefty 🔥#PGAChamp pic.twitter.com/tEVM8suFog
— DP World Tour (@DPWorldTour) May 16, 2024
“When I’m in America, it’s just me and my girlfriend and we’re trying to live as good a life as we can. But it’s difficult when we’re both so close to family and friends.
“I got three weeks at home there and hardly touched the golf clubs, done some stupid stuff and just enjoyed myself.”
MacIntyre admits he misses some of the camaraderie of playing every week on the DP World Tour but he is determined to make a success of his time in the United States and looked very much at home on Thursday.
Birdies on the second, fourth, seventh, 11th and 12th moved him to five under in Louisville but he admitted that he was not letting his golf become the most important thing this week.
I think that’s when I’m at my happiest, when I’m not talking about golf, golf, golf. Life is actually more important than what I’m doing out here
“I’ve got my mum out. She’s cooking and cleaning for my whole team,” he said.
“I’m having too many cakes and desserts this week. But we’re having a good time.
“When I can be around friends, family, people closest to me, people that actually care about me, they speak to me as Bob the human rather than Bob the golfer.
“I think that’s when I’m at my happiest, when I’m not talking about golf, golf, golf. Life is actually more important than what I’m doing out here.”
