The Players: Robert MacIntyre nails 'impossible' wrong-handed chip at iconic par-three 17th
World No 42 Robert MacIntyre is making his debut at The Players at TPC Sawgrass; Scot to play alongside Lee Westwood and Louis Oosthuizen over first two rounds - watch live this week on Sky Sports The Players
Wednesday 10 March 2021 16:37, UK
Robert MacIntyre has wasted little time in getting comfortable at The Players by holing a seemingly near-impossible shot at TPC Sawgrass' most iconic hole.
MacIntyre is making his debut at the PGA Tour's flagship event this week after breaking into the world's top 50, just a week on from making his first regular PGA Tour start at the Arnold Palmer Invitational.
The par-three 17th at TPC Sawgrass has seen many memorable moments through the years and been a pivotal hole in past Players Championship victories, with the 'island green' giving plenty for players to think about.
MacIntyre elected to try something different on the hole during a practice round, with the Scot switching from his traditional left-handed swing to try a much tougher shot with a right-handed club.
Faced with an unorthodox stance and with his back to the flag, MacIntyre struck his pitch from the narrow walkway next to the green towards the pin, similar to how Matt Kuchar memorably did during the 2015 contest.
MacIntyre then raised his club in celebration after unexpectedly holing his effort, unlike Kuchar, with the chip-in bring cheers from the limited crowds around the 17th hole. The world No 43 MacIntyre now hopes he can achieve more success on the par-three when the tournament begins on Thursday.
"I caught it a bit thin!" MacIntyre admitted to the PGA Tour after the hole-out. "It was going a bit too fast, but the pin was there to help us!
"Just holding it on the green is a great shot from there, but you try and hole it and now and again you get lucky. I've never hit that shot in my life!
"I was the lucky one as I managed to hole it, but he (Kuchar) did it in the heat of the battle. I wouldn't take that shot on ever, but you hole them every now and again!"
Click on the video above to see MacIntyre's Sawgrass magic!
'I just fight until the end'
MacIntyre, 24, tied for 36th in the Arnold Palmer Invitational after a joint-61st-place finish at the WGC-Workday Challenge and is relishing the chance to play at TPC Sawgrass.
"It's huge for me and my team," he said. "We've worked hard every step of the way for this chance, and now we're here. It's part of the journey that I'm on, and it's been a fast and smooth progression through the ranks from Challenge Tour, European Tour, major events, and now obviously playing PGA Tour events. It's what I've dreamed of as a kid, and it's where we are now.
"If you play good golf, if you hit good shots, you'll be rewarded, hit bad shots you're going to be punished, and that's the sort of golf courses I like. If you drive it well out here, you've got a good chance of scoring well. If you don't drive it well, you've almost got no chance unless you're hitting it Bryson distances.
"But I'm looking forward to the challenge. My game hasn't been there the last two weeks but we've managed to hang in there and score all right. That's what I do, just fight until the end."
Watch the Players Championship throughout the week on Sky Sports' dedicated channel - Sky Sports The Players! Live coverage begins on Thursday March 11 from 11.30am.
Get the best prices and book a round at one of 1,700 courses across the UK & Ireland
