No shock if fearless MacIntyre wins major – McGinley

Robert MacIntyre winning a major would not be a surprise and his fearless mentality could propel him to one of the big four titles, says former Ryder Cup captain Paul McGinley.

Ireland’s McGinley, who has become one of the most astute analysts in the game, believes the Scotsman’s form over the past two years has established him among the elite.

MacIntyre, 28, staged a late surge to claim the Scottish Open at The Renaissance Club last July – a month after winning the PGA Tour’s Canadian Open with his dad Dougie on the bag.

“With big titles behind them – against strong fields – a major is not that big a leap for him,” McGinley told BBC Sport Scotland.

“It didn’t happen at Augusta (MacIntyre missed the cut), but he’s certainly in that upper echelon of people being considered to win a major.

“Should he do so, it would not be that big a surprise. Two years ago, it would have been a big jump. But he’s closed the gap to the best players in the game.

“He’s got a swashbuckling style. He doesn’t play with a lot of fear. He is one of those guys that you will consider as a potential winner in every major.”

McGinley – speaking on the eve of a Legends Tour’s event at Apes Hill in Barbados, hosted by former Masters champion Ian Woosnam – can see similarities in the development of MacIntyre and Danny Willett, winner at Augusta in 2016.

Willett was world number 12 when he claimed his Green Jacket but was viewed as a surprise winner because he played his golf largely on the European circuit.

MacIntyre is 20th in the world and usually flies under the radar when predictions are made about potential major winners.

However, he contributed 2½ points out of three matches to help Europe regain the Ryder Cup in Rome in 2023 and backed that up with his two victories last year

“I’m a great believer in validation and results – you just don’t walk onto the range or into a tournament in a tight situation and all of a sudden have this incredible belief that you need to win a major.

“You’ve got to have stepping stones where your confidence has been built and your game is being validated – you do that by winning and performing in rarefied atmospheres and MacIntyre’s got that. Willett had it before he won at Augusta.

“I think MacIntyre’s got a real belief he’s heading in that direction.”

McGinley is certain he can contend at Augusta, where he finished in a share of 12th on his debut in 2021 and tied 23rd the following year.

But he believes the Open Championship – where he has finished in the top 10 twice – could be his best opportunity.

“He’s won on a links course at Renaissance. You’d have to think that, growing up on the edges of Scotland, in the wind, would put him down for potentially winning an Open,” said McGinley.

“And he played so well the year before when Rory McIlroy just pipped him at the Scottish.

McGinley will make a rare competitive appearance when he tees it up on Friday at Apes Hill in one of the Legends Tour’s – formerly the European Seniors Tour – most glamourous events.

He has low expectations against a field containing nine Ryder Cup players including recent DP World Tour player Stephen Gallacher. Former US PGA champion Shaun Micheel and 2005 US Open winner Michael Campbell are also in the field.

“I played two tournaments last year but I still love to play golf. I just have so many other things going on and that’s taking me away from playing,” the 2014 Ryder Cup captain said.

“My expectations are not that high because you just don’t turn up and contend. Tiger Woods, the best that we’ve ever seen, tried to play nothing but the majors two years ago and even he struggled.