Bob MacIntyre has had another successful European Tour season, but an even better 2021 lies ahead if he can finish this campaign with a flourish.
He is in South Africa this week for the Alfred Dunhill Championship and after this week will head to Dubai for the final two weeks of the season – the Golf in Dubai Championship and the DP World Tour Championship.
Bob celebrated his first European Tour win of his career in his last event, the Aphrodite Hills Cyprus Showdown and with Race To Dubai points on offer, he knows a good showing at Leopard’s Creek will push him closer to his target of ending 2020 in the top 50 of the world rankings.
Glencruitten’s finest is so close to it now, but getting over the line is the hard part.
If he can reach his goal, however, it will really set him up brilliantly for what will be a hugely exciting year.
The top 50 will qualify for the Masters and for any guy with designs on making the Ryder Cup team next year, they have to be competing in the majors and the WGC events.
They are the key events for any Ryder Cup hopeful and I would expect Bob to have making Padraig Harrington’s team for next September in the back of his mind.
Why not? He was rookie of the year in his debut season in 2019 and has followed that up by winning his first tour title and is now knocking on the door of joining the leading players in the world.
Should his career continue the trajectory he is on – and there’s no reason to suggest it won’t – then next year could be another significant milestone for him.
He should be teeing off at Leopard’s Creek with a spring in his step and full of confidence. I know I would be if I was in his shoes.
I’ll catch up with Bob next week when he arrives in Dubai as I’m flying out there tomorrow.
I’m in a level four area now, but I’ve been fortunate Kingsfield has remained open so I’ve been able to use the range there this week.
I’ll get the chance to practice in Dubai from Saturday for a solid four days before the penultimate tournament of the season begins on Wednesday.
Fascinating family viewing in Orlando
I am sure I will not be the only one watching when Tiger Woods and his son Charlie team up for the PNC Championship in Orlando next month.
Tiger’s announcement he is going to partner Charlie, 11, in the event which used to be known as the Father-Son Challenge has ensured the ratings are going to be through the roof for the two-day event.
Tiger is box office on his worst day, but the world is waiting to see if Charlie is a chip off the old block. He certainly looks like it from what I’ve seen so far.
As for Tiger, I think it’s great. His whole career he has been defined as a driven, fiercely competitive individual, but whenever I see him around his children he is very much the doting father.
Tiger Woods will pair up with his son Charlie at the @PNCchampionship in December.
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) November 19, 2020
As a father myself I can relate to that and I believe it will be great for people to see the other guy, the one who is not stone-faced and in the zone. It will be intriguing and no doubt every shot young Charlie plays will be measured against his famous father.
Let’s not go putting pressure on the youngster just yet, though. Jack Nicklaus’s son Gary had to carry the mantle of following in the footsteps of his famous father when he turned pro and there have been many who have followed the same path.
The Woods team will be in good company with the likes of Gary Player and his grandson, Annika Sorenstam and her father and others such as Lee Trevino, Mark O’Meara, Greg Norman, Jim Furyk, Padraig Harrington and John Daly competing with their sons.
In all there will be 20 major champions and their relatives competing in a two-day 36-hole scramble on December 19 and 20. It will be a fascinating watch.
Perseverance paid off with maiden win
Joachim Hansen’s maiden European Tour victory at the Joburg Open on Sunday was a lesson in perseverance paying off as he claimed his first tournament title aged 30.
It may have been his first win, but he played with the composure of a serial winner in holding off the talented golfing prodigy that is Wilco Nienaber.
I believed Nienaber was going to come out on top and while I offer my congratulations to Joachim, new kid on the block Nienaber has shown he is definitely one to look out for in 2021.
Bryson DeChambeau has dominated the headlines this year after his well-documented physical transformation helped him develop into a powerhouse off the tee, but Nienaber is on another level completely.
He only turned professional last year, but the length he has off the tee is frightening.
He averaged 416 yards in the tournament and crushed one of his drives a ridiculous 439 yards.
While you watch DeChambeau strain every sinew and use every muscle to hit his shots, Nienaber looks almost effortless in comparison.
He reminds me of Tiger Woods in his amateur days. Tiger had tremendous power, but as an amateur he was still looking for a bit of finesse around the greens.
He had it in abundance by the time he turned professional and has gone on to become one of the all-time greats.
Nienaber, like Tiger was, is still looking for that little bit of control. Once he gets it he’ll a force to behold.
Make no mistake, the future’s bright for this kid.