Bob MacIntyre opens up on being 'tourist in Scotland' and how he feels 'respected' by British golf fans

The Oban man is enjoying a break at home before returning to action in the DP World Tour’s season-ending Play-Off events - the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship and the DP World Tour Championship in Dubai.

He’ll be “chilling out for another week” before gearing up for that double-header in the UAE and has been talking about how he he has enjoyed getting the chance to spend some time at home at the end of another busy year.

Speaking on BBC Radio Scotland’s The Saturday Show, he told presenters Amy Irons and Steven Mill: “I just love Scotland. It’s a good thing and it’s a bad thing at times (coming home). We get dragged back down to earth big time. It doesn’t matter how good you are doing, someone is going to criticise you and someone is not going to be happy with the way you do things.

“But, at the end of the day, it doesn’t matter to me. The people I take criticism from are the people who are the closest to me and the people in my team who I trust and aren’t yes men. It’s black and white with them and they will tell me if I am doing something well or not

“When you come back to Scotland, I love the way the majority of the time I can go and do the stuff I want to go and do. We went away to Skye for a few days. I was being a tourist. I was up there enjoying myself, going for walks, sightseeing and the weather was actually half decent so we were able to get out and about.

“You walk into places - cafes and stuff - and people speak to you, even though they won’t know who you are. It just feels like it it is home and it is always going to be home. Yeah, I just enjoy coming back to Scotland, whether it is Oban, Glasgow or away up in the Highlands somewhere. It’s peaceful for me.”

Europe overcame a hostile atmosphere at Bethpage Black to retain the Ryder Cup with a nail-biting 15-13 win over the Americans. Rory McIlroy in particular was the target of some awful abuse from the home fans while MacIntyre was also goaded at times due to his pale complexion.

‘Big, big, big time and even more so after the Ryder Cup’

“Big time,” replied the world No 8 to being asked if he feels more patriotic than ever on not only that stage but in events like the majors as well. “Big, big, big time and even more so after the Ryder Cup.

“You got to The Open Championship and it is the best crowds on the planet. You hit a good shot from 150 yards with a 9-iron when it is windy into the heart of the green, they give you a clap.

“There’s very little of the loud shouts. There’s very little of the negative things. Whether it is playing golf in Scotland, Britain or Ireland, it is good when you are able to play in front of home fans and almost respected at what you are doing.”