Bob MacIntyre is Mr Salvage at the Travelers as he shows the world US Open heroics are only the start
Scottish star fights back to finish level on the day ahead of final round in Connecticut
Battling Bob MacIntyre fought back to salvage Saturday and stay in the red at the Travelers Championship
The Scottish star endured a see-saw Saturday at TPC River Highlands where a mid-round slip offered a big setback in his tournament.
MacIntyre could not have started better with a birdie at the first, but any notion it was going to be smooth sailing were dispelled.
The Oban ace, who finished a brilliant runner-up at last week's US Open, exchanged shots with the course until the 12th hole when an out-of-character double-bogey saw him slip to two-over par for the day and back to level for the tournament.
It was at that stage where MacIntyre pulled out some customary quality and grit to recover that lost ground and, with two birdies before getting the clubhouse, he was able to sign for a level-par 70 and ensure there was no damage inflicted on the day.
After the 27th round of a punishing seven-week spell which has seen him take in the Truist Championship, PGA Championship, Charles Schwab Challenge, Memorial, RBC Canadian Open and US Open before this Travelers, MacIntyre will now complete this American sequence on Sunday before returning home for a short break before the defence of his Genesis Scottish Open title and The Open Championship at Royal Portrush the following week.
He also has the opportunity over the final 18 holes of the Travelers event to make some more small gains in The Ryder Cup rankings with the individuals either side of him in the European points list trailing behind him going into the last round.
While MacIntyre is currently fourth in the standings after his stunning Oakmont effort, third-placed Shane Lowry found some weekend form with a four-under par round of 66 to move some places on the leaderboard.
The Irishman had been struggling over the opening two rounds at TPC River Highlands, but was back in his best light with five birdies en route to a 66.
Fifth-placed Sepp Straka is also in the Scot's wake at the moment and he sits at two-over par going into Sunday, but the Austrian star, who has two wins on the PGA Tour under his belt already this term, also carded his best effort of the week on Saturday with a 67.
Swedish star Ludvig Aberg is also in red figures after a second-successive round of one-under moved him to a shot under the course par, but there was a huge move made by Matt Fitzpatrick.
The English star has struggled to recapture his best form through the past year and has admitted that he is on the fringes of Luke Donald's side looking ahead of Bethpage as he told Sky: 'Being experienced now and knowing how it works, I'm not trying to force the issue. I'm not texting Luke saying: I really want to be there, it's really important for me. If I play well, I'll be there. If I don't play well, I won't be there. I'm happy to accept that.'
Fitzpatrick knows his clubs need to do the talking and he produced a sizzling Saturday effort of 63 to rocket up the standings and onto four-under par. The Sheffield star didn't card a single dropped shot as he blitzed his way around the Connecticut circuit to surge to edges of the Top 20.
Norwegian Viktor Hovland was not going to be outdone and he matched the number posted by Fitzpatrick with his own 63 to sweep into the Top 10 and give himself an outside chance of a run at the trophy.
Hovland came within inches of going one lower and matching the scores of Australian Adam Scott and Canadian Taylor Pendrith, but his birdie effort at the last stayed on the edge of the cup and he remained on the six-under par mark.
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