Robert MacIntyre says the opportunity to play alongside players he has admired over the years is fulfilling ahead of representing Great Britain and Ireland at the Hero Cup in Abu Dhabi.
The Scotsman is part of a ten-strong team, led by two-time Ryder Cup player Tommy Fleetwood, which boasts 2019 Open Champion Shane Lowry that is going up against a Continental Europe side.
MacIntyre is also joined by countryman Ewen Ferguson at the new three-day team play contest, which starts on Friday at Abu Dhabi Golf Club.
“I can't wait,” he said. “Match play is a good, fun format but more important, I'm getting to play with guys I've looked up to and guys that I've grown up beside as well.
“I know them all from the last couple years.
“It's just going to be brilliant. Hopefully we can have a good, fun event and play well.”
Despite the close friendships on both teams, MacIntyre insists “this week is all business”.
MacIntyre played match play during his amateur days and has since demonstrated his ability in the format as a professional, progressing to the last 16 on debut at the WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play Championship in 2021.
“It's a dog-eat-dog mentality you've got to have out there,” he said.
“If you're playing well, it's good. If you’re not playing well, then it's not so good. But you know what, just go out there and have fun and try and play your best golf and just never give up.”
The format of the contest will see five sets of four-balls take place on Friday, ten sets of foursomes on Saturday and ten singles matches on Sunday, with all 20 players across both teams featuring in each session.
MacIntyre won the DS Automobiles Italian Open last September at Marco Simone Golf & Country Club – host venue of this year’s Ryder Cup – and will hope to make an impression at the first DP World Tour tournament of 2023.
Current European Ryder Cup captain Luke Donald is overseeing the Hero Cup, but MacIntyre is not seeing that as a reason to put an undue amount of pressure on himself.
“It's a long season ahead,” he said.
“I've got a long way to go. This week is not going to define whether I get on that team or not.”
Since graduating from the Challenge Tour in 2021, Ferguson has already claimed two titles on the DP World Tour and is now hoping he can translate his form into match play after practising in the Middle East for the last month.
“I think I probably missed it a little bit having not played as a professional,” he said.
“To get into a team event as a pro you have to have done something really well to get into the team because there are so many good players.
“Just being here for a start is a privilege and hopefully I can show what I am capable of in match play. I know I have done well before at the Walker Cup for Scotland [in 2015] so I am looking forward to it.”
José María Olazábal, who captained Europe to Ryder Cup victory at the ‘Miracle at Medinah’ in 2012, is one of several European greats of the game lending a helping hand to proceedings this week.
The Spaniard, along with fellow former captains Paul McGinley and Thomas Bjørn gave a speech to both teams earlier in the week, with his words fuelling Ferguson’s hunger to play well over the coming months ahead of this year’s Ryder Cup at Marco Simone Golf & Country Club.
“Olazábal has won two Masters and is obviously a Ryder Cup hero and a hero in the golfing world,” he said.
“He has won all these tournaments and he said the achievement that stands out the most is the Ryder Cup.”
