The Open: How a Robert MacIntyre win would bash the bookies

He had Rory McIlroy running scared on Sunday.

This week, it’s the British bookmakers who are living in fear of Bob MacIntyre.

The 26-year-old’s phenomenal final round at the Genesis Scottish Open has prompted a flurry of bets on the Oban man for this week’s Open Championship at Royal Liverpool.

• McIlroy pulls out of Open press conference

• Rahm throws support behind Monahan 

And whilst the sight of him lifting the Claret Jug would surely be celebrated wildly in the home of golf, it’s the result that bookies fear the most.

According to a spokesperson for William Hill, around 7% of all bets placed have landed on the Scot at odds of 50/1.

Together with Rory McIlroy (the 7/1 favourite) and 20/1 shot Tommy Fleetwood, he makes up one of three players that would cost the bookmaker a six-figure sum were they to win the final men’s major of the season on Sunday.

They’ve every right to be worried, too. MacIntyre has placed inside the top-eight in two of the three Opens he has contested to date.

“Encouraged with the way he played at the Renaissance Club last week and his solid form in four Opens played so far, plenty of punters have latched onto Bob MacIntyre at big odds of 50/1,” said a William Hill spokesperson.

“He clearly arrives here in good form. We would rather it was somebody else picking up the Claret Jug, though, as a win for Bob would cost us six figures.

“McIlroy and Fleetwood are the other two costly results we’re hoping to avoid at Hoylake this week, while the money has started to flow in for Scheffler too.”

Meanwhile, MacIntyre has received the backing of Masters champion Jon Rahm in his bid to make the European Ryder Cup team.

• Matt Fitzpatrick: Don’t back me to win The Open

• Smith ‘held back tears’ before Open defence

The Spaniard said he had been impressed by the left-hander’s performance in the Scottish Open, adding that he “likes his chances” of featuring in Rome.

“Given the fact that he beat Rory and Fitzy a couple years ago at that golf course to win the Italian Open in a playoff, I think his chances were always good, but he’s definitely been in good form lately, playing good golf,” said Rahm.

“If somebody who can shoot six-under in those weather conditions is not a candidate, I don’t know who else can be.”

MacIntyre gets his fourth Open Championship under way at 10.09am on Thursday in the company of 2019 champion Shane Lowry and recent Rocket Mortgage Classic winner Rickie Fowler.