Could Bob MacIntyre Be a Ryder Cup Star Player in 2025
By: Kieran Clark | Edited: Wed 24 Sep 2025
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Whether it be Bernard Gallacher, Sam Torrance, Sandy Lyle or Colin Montgomerie, Scottish golfers have long taken a defining role in the Ryder Cup, and Bob MacIntyre is hoping to etch his place as the latest key figure in that Caledonian legacy.
The 29-year-old enjoyed a blistering debut when he first appeared for Europe at Marco Simone in 2023. It could have been a baptism of fire, but the left-hander from Oban, who won the Italian Open on that same course 12 months earlier, went unbeaten across the three days, successfully partnering veteran Justin Rose before defeating reigning US Open champion Wyndham Clark in the singles.
It couldn't have gone any better, but as Luke Donald attempts to mastermind a cherished away conquest in New York, could MacIntyre find himself as one of the leaders on the course alongside the likes of Rory McIlroy, Jon Rahm and Tommy Fleetwood?
(Image Credit: Kevin Diss Photography)
Since those triumphant scenes beneath the shadow of the Eternal City of Rome, MacIntyre has become a full-time PGA Tour member, claiming memorable victories in both the Canadian Open and Scottish Open in 2024.
Although he hasn't won an individual title this season, he did contend at the US Open, where he finished a courageous runner-up to JJ Spaun at the fearsome Oakmont.
MacIntyre is now a big-time player - who jousted with world number one Scottie Scheffler during the FedEx Cup Playoffs. But can he take that to another level and become the talisman that Montgomerie was for Europe all those decades ago? His coach, Simon Shanks, speaking exclusively to Betway, believes that he can.
"This year has statistically been Bob's best year, even though last year he won twice. This year all the levels of his game have risen really. It will just be making sure we're ticking the right boxes in that regard."
Many will recall that before his unforgettable breakthrough in Canada - with father Dougie on the bag - MacIntyre had found life on the PGA Tour to be somewhat dispiriting, but that acclimatisation period was always going to be a challenge.
"The first few months on the PGA Tour weren't easy for him," Shanks added. "Adapting to being away from Scotland, being away from Oban and lots of different grass types. Your short game becomes a little bit more difficult in the US when you're playing on Bermuda grass where the grain of the grass is very difficult to get good contact on the golf ball.
"You start out in the West Coast and there’s a lot of poa annua greens that can be a bit funky to putt on. I think it was getting used to the conditions to play in the new venues.
"Generally, his long game, his tee to green game has been pretty solid for two years. He’s getting the ball on the fairway a lot more, hitting lots of greens, giving himself a lot of chances with the putter and then on the weeks where the putter behaves itself, you're going to contend.
"Bob's become a lot more patient in his own game and played the long game a little bit more rather than in the past being a younger man, he was wanting it quickly, which we all do.
"But then I think it's that period of time when you come to realise that sometimes T20 is quite a good week and then, when things are on, you can go ahead and make a rush for the top spot."
Grasping opportunities when in contention is a test that MacIntyre has been keen to embrace.
"From his golfing background, his shinty background up in Scotland, he's a competitor. He wants to win," Shanks added.
"When there's something up for grabs, he's going to go towards it, he's not going to shy away.
"That's one of the things that's really helped him in the two opportunities he had to win in 2024. He took them in Canada and Scotland."
Currently ranked ninth in the world, a proven major contender and tour winner, MacIntyre is surely primed to become a senior player for Europe this year and beyond.
Shanks commented: "Back in Rome, he did qualify in third sport and was a rookie. He'd won at that course, which was a benefit as well, having won at Marco Simone in 2022. And then he played four balls with Justin Rose, which was a great experience for Bob. But now, two years down the line, having won twice on the PGA Tour, and with a load of experience, and being top ten in the world, you'd expect him to play more of the matches now in terms of where he is as a player.
"In 2024 he was the most improved player in terms of the strokes gained year on year. So, he has come on a huge amount and he’s now more of an integral part of the team than he was when he played the first time."
Paul Lawrie was part of Europe's magical away success at Medinah, and 13 years on, if such an achievement is to be replicated, Bob MacIntyre will ensure that the Saltire is once again flying proudly above Bethpage Black.
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About the author
Kieran Clark is the Digital Editor of Golfshake. He oversees editorial content, community engagement, forums, and social media channels. A lifelong golfer from the Isle of Bute in Scotland who has now lived in St Andrews for a decade, he began playing at the age of five and maintains a passion for exploring courses, with a particular affection for historic layouts. Kieran regularly contributes in-depth opinion pieces and features, drawing on his enthusiasm for the game and its culture.
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