With the qualification process for the Ryder Cup nearing a climax, Robert MacIntyre and Victor Perez are relishing the pressure to perform as the DP World Tour resumes after a three-week break with the ISPS HANDA World Invitational presented by Aviv Clinics.
The innovative event – sanctioned by the DP World Tour, LPGA Tour and Ladies European Tour – sees some of the best male and female players compete on the same courses at the same time.
MacIntyre currently holds the final automatic qualification spot on the European Points List while Perez lies seventh as both target their Ryder Cup debuts.
Following this week’s stop in Northern Ireland, the D+D REAL Czech Masters and the Omega European Masters are the final two events for player to secure Ryder Cup points on the DP World Tour before European Captain Luke Donald names his six captain’s picks on September 4.
Asked about the race for qualification, MacIntyre, who won at host venue Marco Simone Golf & Country Club last year, said: “It is there but I don’t really… I knew winning Italy last year was massive for the qualification and gave me a great start.
“I just had to play good golf from then on in and be there or thereabouts. Obviously, I have timed my run pretty nicely with the result at the Scottish Open. I have been playing good golf.
“There has been a lot going on within my team, a couple of changes in there back and forth. Again, just trust yourself, trust the team around you and keep going.”
Major Champions Rory McIlroy and Jon Rahm have already assured their spots via the European Points List, while Viktor Hovland was the first to have his qualification confirmed through the World Points List on Wednesday.
'You can’t just shy away from the moment'
Another player who is set to play in each of the final three qualifying events is Perez as he aims to rediscover the form that saw him go unbeaten for Continental Europe at the inaugural Hero Cup and win his first Rolex Series title at the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship in January.
The Frenchman has used some of his time off to put in practice on his game and is as confident as he can be in his chances of success over the coming weeks.
“At this point it really comes down to playing well these three weeks to get an automatic spot to qualify,” he said. “All the work has been highly centred around the Ryder Cup.
“You always want to improve. If you are not trying to get better, then you are getting worse. That is my kind of mentality.
“I feel ready to go. I have showed good form in practice at home which are good signs for me.
“To have good performances you are going to need good putting. I have put a little emphasis on that. Mentally you have to want to perform. You can’t just shy away from the moment.”
Both players, who have won five DP World Tour titles between them, are making their first appearance at the World Invitational which was won by Ewen Ferguson and Maja Stark last year.
Galgorm is joined by new co-host Castlerock this week and MacIntyre is excited by the variety in challenge the field will face.
“It is good that they have got two different courses in a parkland and a links,” he said.
“[Castlerock is an] old school links course so I am looking forward to it.”
Perez, who won his first DP World Tour over links layouts at the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship in 2019 and was co-leader after 54 holes at Galgorm in 2018, added: “Everybody knows when the wind switches on links it might play a 100% different.
“Whatever I might hit off the tee today will have nothing to do with what I hit off the tee on Thursday or Friday. You have to keep an open mind. It is just a matter of seeing it.
“I have played Galgorm on Challenge Tour so I remember vaguely some of the holes. But this place [Castlerock] is good.
“Any time on a links course that there is a bit of wind and if the pins are in good spots then it will be a good test for sure.”
