US Open: Robert MacIntyre makes bold claim after strong start

Robert MacIntyre insists another three level-par rounds will see him walk away with the US Open trophy on Sunday.

The Scot signed for an opening 70 at Oakmont on Thursday and claimed it would be one of the ten best rounds of his career.

MacIntyre, 28, is yet to break the top 35 in the third men’s major of the year but currently sits just four shots off early leader JJ Spaun.

“To be honest, delighted with that,” he said afterwards. “I felt I played absolutely beautifully, off the tee, with no real punishment, I drove it as good as I can drive the golf ball.

“That’s up there in the top ten of any rounds that I’ve played. It is just so hard, honestly, every shot you’re on a knife edge.

“If you miss it, even if you miss the green, you miss it by too much, you then try to play an eight-yard pitch over the rough onto a green that’s brick hard running away from you.”

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MacIntyre is still to record a better major finish than a T6 effort in his Open debut in 2019. But his game has been moving in the right direction of late.

His start in Pennsylvania comprised three bogeys and three birdies, whilst avoiding a blot on the 276-yard par-3 eighth hole.

At the time of writing, only ten players in the 156-man field had made more birdies than MacIntyre.

Of Spaun’s early clubhouse lead, meanwhile, he said: “It’s unbelievable. I said it on the way around, I said, 4-under par, that is incredible.

“I get starting on ten, you can get a little bit of a run going ten, 11, 12, 14. You can, if you’ve got it going at the start early, get it going.

“But he must not have missed many fairways. That’s probably going to be leading at the end of the day, to be honest with you.”

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Now, for MacInytre, his aim is to do the same again. And again on Saturday, and then again on Sunday.

He said: “I’m going to have a nice lunch now. It’s in a great spot. It’s a good start. Hopefully they can control how firm and fast it gets because it is big slopes around this golf course.

“You shoot four level-par rounds, you’re walking away with a medal and a trophy. I’m sure I’d take that.”

John Turnbull A graduate of the University of Stirling, John joined the bunkered team in 2023 as a Content Producer, with a responsibility for covering all breaking news, tour news, grassroots content and much more besides. A keen golfer, he plays the majority of his golf at Falkirk Tryst Golf Club. Top of his 'bucket list' is a round of Pebble Beach... ideally in the company of Gareth Bale.