Robert MacIntyre barely had any words for CBS Sports’ Amanda Balionis after his thrilling win at the RBC Canadian Open, the first PGA Tour victory of his career.
And yet, the few words that he delivered reminded us why we love golf.
“I’m speechless, to be honest,” MacIntyre said with his thick Scottish brogue.
“I’m crying with joy but laughing because I didn’t think it was possible.”
MacIntyre had his father, Dougie, caddy for him this week. The Scotsman has had a carousel of caddies over the past year, as he has yet to find a groove with a looper.
He has also admitted to feeling uncomfortable during his first full season on the PGA Tour. At the Myrtle Beach Classic, MacIntyre called the tour a “lonely place,” saying the camaraderie of the PGA Tour dwarfed in comparison to its European counterpart, the DP World Tour.
Between this and his need for a caddy, MacIntyre phoned his father, in what he called an “emergency,” to see if he would fly over from Scotland to caddy for the RBC Canadian Open.
Thank goodness Dougie said yes.
“This is the guy that taught me the game of golf,” MacIntyre added, fighting back tears.
“I just can’t believe I did this with this guy on the bag.”
Millions of fathers have passed this amazing game to their children, just as Dougie did to his son, Robert. That is the beauty of this sport. Anyone can play with anyone, regardless of age, skill level, or socioeconomic status. But better yet, you play this game for life. Surely, the MacIntyres will play alongside each other forever because that is the joy that golf provides for those of us who play it.
Everyone watching must have felt some empathy, seeing this father-son relationship shine on full display. I know I did, as I thought of my father and grandfather, who both taught me how to play when I was five years old. I still feel lucky enough to play with my grandfather to this day, who, at 88, shoots his age routinely.
That’s the beauty of golf.
You can cherish it with your family forever.
And there is no doubt that the MacIntyre’s will cherish this moment for years to come.
“Unbelievable. I’m just a grass cutter,” Dougie added, immediately bursting into tears.
But he is so much more than a greenskeeper in Oban. He is a father—the most important job in the world—and he must have felt like the luckiest man watching his son shine on Sunday.
This was a special moment; hopefully, it reminded you why you love this game, too.
Jack Milko is a golf staff writer for SB Nation’s Playing Through. Be sure to check out @_PlayingThrough for more golf coverage. You can follow him on Twitter @jack_milko as well.
