Winning the first tournament is never easy, as Robert MacIntyre discovered at the 2024 RBC Canadian Open. The PGA Tour rookie maintained his 54-hole lead at Hamilton Golf & Country Club to secure a one-stroke victory over Ben Griffin, finishing at 16 under par. This win marked MacIntyre’s first PGA Tour triumph, with his father serving as his caddie.
MacIntyre’s victory makes him the fifth rookie to win on the PGA Tour this season, joining Matthieu Pavon in utilizing the DP World Tour pathway to reach this stage. Along with securing his playing privileges for the next two seasons, MacIntyre’s win earned him a spot in the upcoming U.S. Open at Pinehurst.
The win was particularly emotional for MacIntyre, who called his father, Dougie, to caddie for him due to homesickness. “I’m speechless, to be honest,” MacIntyre told CBS after his victory. “… This is everything for me and my family. … I can’t believe I’ve done it with him on the bag. I’m crying with joy but laughing because I didn’t think this was possible.”
Dougie recounted the sudden decision to join his son, leaving his job on short notice to fly to Canada. “I got phoned last Saturday. I’m sitting on the couch at home, 8:00 Saturday night. I gotta leave my job — you know, I’m busy at work — by 8:00 the next morning, I’m on a flight out here. Wow,” Dougie said.
Starting the final round with a record four-stroke lead, MacIntyre saw his advantage disappear quickly as he bogeyed the first hole while Canadian Mackenzie Hughes made three consecutive birdies. Other competitors, including Tom Kim and Rory McIlroy, also made strong starts, applying pressure on MacIntyre.
Instead of faltering, MacIntyre responded with three birdies on the front nine, including back-to-back birdies on holes 7 and 8. Despite challenges from Kim and McIlroy, who both posted 13 under in the clubhouse, MacIntyre maintained his composure. A crucial birdie on the 11th hole gave him a five-stroke lead.
However, MacIntyre’s control seemed to waver with bogeys on the 12th and 13th holes. As Victor Perez finished at 14 under and Griffin birdied the 16th and 17th holes, the pressure intensified. Yet, MacIntyre’s steady play on the final hole, with an approach shot landing 9 feet from the pin, secured his victory. Griffin’s missed birdie chance meant MacIntyre needed only two putts to clinch the title, which he did with his father by his side.
"I wanted to win this for my dad." ❤️
— Golf on CBS ⛳ (@GolfonCBS) June 2, 2024
Robert MacIntyre spoke to our @Amanda_Balionis on what it meant winning the @RBCCanadianOpen with his father on the bag. pic.twitter.com/aMeTEgDdEz
Here’s a look at the performances of other notable players at the RBC Canadian Open:
T4. Rory McIlroy (-13): McIlroy’s performance featured strong iron play on Thursday and Saturday but was marred by a disappointing Friday. Despite a late surge on Sunday, his effort was not enough to claim the win. Grade: A
T4. Tom Kim (-13): Kim made a significant move early Sunday but missed crucial opportunities, including a short putt on the 14th. His top-five finish was his best of the season. Grade: A
T7. Mackenzie Hughes (-10): Hughes aimed to become the second consecutive Canadian to win the national open. Early birdies put him in contention, but mistakes on the 5th and 9th holes derailed his chances. Grade: A-
T21. Tommy Fleetwood (-7): Fleetwood’s double bogey on the first hole of the final round ended his hopes of a comeback. Despite consistent play this season, he has yet to contend seriously on the PGA Tour in 2024. Grade: B-
MC. Sahith Theegala: Theegala’s missed cut was unexpected given his ranking in total strokes gained. A challenging week, including a 4-putt double bogey and a broken driver, led to his second missed cut of the season. Grade: F
