5 JULY, 2022 - DP WORLD TOUR: Home favourite Robert MacIntyre has always personally regarded the Genesis Scottish Open as one of the best events in golf but feels the 2022 edition, the third Rolex Series event of the season, truly lives up to that billing.
A world-class field has gathered at The Renaissance Club with some of the biggest DP World Tour and PGA TOUR stars set to go head-to-head at the co-sanctioned tournament, including the four reigning Major Champions Matt Fitzpatrick, Collin Morikawa, Justin Thomas and Scottie Scheffler.
The 25-year-old Scot impressed at last week's Horizon Irish Open finishing tied 13th and is delighted to be part of the strongest field ever to assemble on the DP World Tour featuring 14 of the World’s top 15. "As a golf tournament, seeing the field we get this year, the Genesis Scottish Open itself, the tournament has got bigger and bigger. It's great to see and competing against the best in the world is what it's all about" SAID THE MAN FROM OBAN.
"This golf tournament, it's one of the best. It's always been one of my big ones but now it feels like it's right up there with every golf tournament.
"I think with the alliance (between the DP World Tour and PGA TOUR), I'm not sure the number, is it 14 of the top 15 in the world that are here this week. There's not many golf tournaments you get that - for that to be at the Scottish Open is massive.
"I'm seeing good signs in my game, good performance last week. Changed quite a few things but we're still pushing to do the same things and trying to get better, trying to win golf tournaments."
A world-class field has gathered at The Renaissance Club with some of the biggest DP World Tour and PGA TOUR stars set to go head-to-head at the co-sanctioned tournament, including the four reigning Major Champions Matt Fitzpatrick, Collin Morikawa, Justin Thomas and Scottie Scheffler.
The 25-year-old Scot impressed at last week's Horizon Irish Open finishing tied 13th and is delighted to be part of the strongest field ever to assemble on the DP World Tour featuring 14 of the World’s top 15. "As a golf tournament, seeing the field we get this year, the Genesis Scottish Open itself, the tournament has got bigger and bigger. It's great to see and competing against the best in the world is what it's all about" SAID THE MAN FROM OBAN.
"This golf tournament, it's one of the best. It's always been one of my big ones but now it feels like it's right up there with every golf tournament.
"I think with the alliance (between the DP World Tour and PGA TOUR), I'm not sure the number, is it 14 of the top 15 in the world that are here this week. There's not many golf tournaments you get that - for that to be at the Scottish Open is massive.
"I'm seeing good signs in my game, good performance last week. Changed quite a few things but we're still pushing to do the same things and trying to get better, trying to win golf tournaments."
Min Woo Lee is hoping history can repeat itself as the defending champion looks to see off a world-class field in North Berwick this week.
The talented Australian collected his first Rolex Series title with a play-off victory over Thomas Detry and 2022 U.S. Open Champion Fitzpatrick at last year's event and he returns to The Renaissance Club going for glory once again but knows it will not be easy, particularly if the wind blows on the Scottish coast. "Hopefully I can recreate what I did last year. I played the front nine and I've seen a few changes. It's going to be tough if it stays this windy. I'm excited to be back and to play. Nice to see familiar faces and hope to play well" SAID THE BROTHER OF 2-TIME WOMEN'S MAJOR CHAMPION MINJEE LEE.
"The next few tournaments are really, really important to me. Obviously next week is a Major and this week is defending.
"It's a big event on the DP World Tour. The field's very strong and you just need to do well and for me, I need to do well the next two weeks. This is a massive event. You've got the four current Major Champions and 40 of the top-50 players in the world."
The talented Australian collected his first Rolex Series title with a play-off victory over Thomas Detry and 2022 U.S. Open Champion Fitzpatrick at last year's event and he returns to The Renaissance Club going for glory once again but knows it will not be easy, particularly if the wind blows on the Scottish coast. "Hopefully I can recreate what I did last year. I played the front nine and I've seen a few changes. It's going to be tough if it stays this windy. I'm excited to be back and to play. Nice to see familiar faces and hope to play well" SAID THE BROTHER OF 2-TIME WOMEN'S MAJOR CHAMPION MINJEE LEE.
"The next few tournaments are really, really important to me. Obviously next week is a Major and this week is defending.
"It's a big event on the DP World Tour. The field's very strong and you just need to do well and for me, I need to do well the next two weeks. This is a massive event. You've got the four current Major Champions and 40 of the top-50 players in the world."
Meanwhile, American Billy Horschel has arrived in East Lothian in fine form after winning his seventh PGA TOUR title at the Memorial Tournament in June and is relishing the prospect of doing battle with the world's best players in Scotland.
The World Number 15 is bidding to secure his second Rolex Series crown after fulfilling a career ambition with victory at the 2021 BMW PGA Championship last September, when he became just the second American – and the first since Arnold Palmer in 1975 - to lift the trophy at Wentworth. "This is what we play for. We want to compete against the best players and see where we stand with our game and what better place than to do it here at The Renaissance Club at the Genesis Scottish Open" SAID THE 2021 BMW PGA CHAMPION.
"I think as golfers, junior golfers, growing up, we play this game to be remembered. We play this game to say we've won on the PGA TOUR, we've won the same tournaments as Tiger Woods and same as Arnold Palmer, same thing over here on the DP World Tour, thinking about winning the BMW PGA Championship and the national opens.
"My goal was to be considered hopefully one of the greatest players of my generation or one of the greatest players in the game and hopefully be remembered.
"It's been a really good year. I repeat myself a lot but sometimes all the hard work and practice we put in, we don't get results out of it, so it's nice for this year, we start to see more results, what my team and I have done over the last couple of years, the changes we have made to try and be more consistent, try and win the bigger events, it's been nice to finally see.”
The World Number 15 is bidding to secure his second Rolex Series crown after fulfilling a career ambition with victory at the 2021 BMW PGA Championship last September, when he became just the second American – and the first since Arnold Palmer in 1975 - to lift the trophy at Wentworth. "This is what we play for. We want to compete against the best players and see where we stand with our game and what better place than to do it here at The Renaissance Club at the Genesis Scottish Open" SAID THE 2021 BMW PGA CHAMPION.
"I think as golfers, junior golfers, growing up, we play this game to be remembered. We play this game to say we've won on the PGA TOUR, we've won the same tournaments as Tiger Woods and same as Arnold Palmer, same thing over here on the DP World Tour, thinking about winning the BMW PGA Championship and the national opens.
"My goal was to be considered hopefully one of the greatest players of my generation or one of the greatest players in the game and hopefully be remembered.
"It's been a really good year. I repeat myself a lot but sometimes all the hard work and practice we put in, we don't get results out of it, so it's nice for this year, we start to see more results, what my team and I have done over the last couple of years, the changes we have made to try and be more consistent, try and win the bigger events, it's been nice to finally see.”
