Sawt Falasteen - MacIntyre 'will not back off' in bid for first major title

The 28-year-old was edged into second place by J.J. Spaun in the US Open at Oakmont last month.

But he is challenging again at Royal Portrush after a brilliant five-under par second round of 66 catapulted him to within three shots of clubhouse leader Brian Harman.

The last Scottish man to lift a major trophy was Paul Lawrie at the 1999 British Open, when he was the beneficiary of Frenchman Jean van de Velde's infamous meltdown.

"I'm not scared. I'm not going to back away," MacIntyre told reporters.

"It's completely different to Oakmont. Oakmont, I couldn't roll the dice. It was never let's press, let's press. It was always, right, let's go out here with pars.

"This week, hopefully come the 69th, 70th hole, I've got a chance. If I've got a chance, I'm going to roll it."

MacIntyre made his major championship debut at Portrush in 2019, finishing tied-sixth behind eventual champion Shane Lowry.

His career has gone from strength to strength since.

The big-hitting left-hander made his Ryder Cup debut in 2023, won twice on the PGA Tour last season, including the Scottish Open, and has climbed to 14th in the world rankings.

"I've got so much more confidence and so much more belief that I am good enough," he added.

"I said it just last year, if it's not a major championship, the Scottish Open, now we've got that, the full focus is on winning majors."

L.Hussein--SF-PST