'Saying goodbye has been so hard' - Bob MacIntyre admits leaving family behind in Oban has been a struggle

Leaving Oban was never going to be easy for the Glencruitten man and he described jetting off for a new life in Orlando as a moment filled with mixed emotions, leaving behind the family members he credits with helping to transform him from a rookie into a Ryder Cup star.

The 27-year-old insists it was a sacrifice he had to make ahead of his 2024 PGA Tour debut in Hawaii as he secured a 52nd position in the Sony Open on Sunday.

Bob said: "There was certainly some emotion leaving home, especially with my little nieces. When I was in Oban, I’d see them every day, so that’s all going to be a bit different. But when I boarded that plane in Glasgow, or pretty much when I got in the car and left Oban really, I knew this was it.”

Bob has rented a house in Florida where he will base himself for at least the first eight months of the year as he strives to establish a foothold on the US circuit over the coming months.

Having wrestled with the decision to relocate fully, he is well aware he has to now be 100 per cent committed to the plan - and says he sees the switch as a statement of intent.

He added: "I’m lucky I can rent a place for a year and that I can join a good golf club with great facilities. I’m all-in. This is it. I don’t do things by half measures. If I’m all-in, I’m all-in."