
Four Scots ready to rock at The Open as Bob MacIntyre warned rival out to gun him down 10 years on from epic
Daniel Young is out to beat trailblazer Bob MacIntyre 10 years after the pair's epic battle at Muirfield.
And the Perthshire ace is adamant a late start won't be an issue at Royal Portrush.
Young stormed through final qualifying at Dundonald to join MacIntyre and amateur pair Cameron Adam and Connor Graham at The Open and the quartet were together for a Tuesday practice.
The 33-year-old and Scotland's No.1 fought out a terrific clash in the Final of the Scottish Amateur Championship a decade ago which was won by the Oban ace.
Now they are reunited on the biggest stage of the lot and Young said: 'It was good to see Bob. I've obviously not seen him in a wee while, so it was good to catch up and play with the younger lads as well. Everybody was in good spirits and we just had a good time, to be honest.
'We're all here to beat everybody. All four of us are obviously rooting for each other to do well, obviously, being from Scotland.
'By the end of the day, you want to beat all three of them. I asked Bob a couple of questions just from 2019, obviously, when he played well here, but his memory was lacking a little bit!
'We're all trying to do our prep and figure it out and we've all got different games as well. How he sees stuff and how I see stuff and how Conor, Cammy, we all see stuff differently.
'Bob's very near the top of the game at the moment. And then I'm obviously getting closer to the DP World Tour and the guys are striving to get to, I guess, where Bob is, first of all.
'But it's obviously not just as easy as that as Bob will probably be the first to tell you. You've got to work your way up the ladder.'
Young will have to be patient on the opening day as he's in the second-last group onto the course with a 4.05pm tee-time.
But he said: 'Obviously you're not really used to that late, but how many times have we played at four o'clock over the years, going out with your mates or a delay and stuff?
'So it's just delaying your prep and having a chilled-out morning. Maybe even watch some of the golf and see how the course is playing. Pick up on a few pin locations and just stuff like that that will help come four o'clock.'
Young is savouring the experience and has been incestivised by David Law's win on the HotelPlanner Tour last weekend.
He said: 'That was fantastic. It's looking like it could be a really good season, absolutely. We're obviously only just after halfway, but Davey winning has certainly put him in a hell of a position now.
'I'm in a position where he was probably there at the start of last week, so if I can somehow knock off a win between now and the end of the year, then I'll be in a heck of a position to make the jump up as well.
'I think until you get here, you're then like: Oh yeah, we're here. I was saying to the guys we're here to go play well and do a job and obviously look forward to having a good week.
'I'm feeling good. I had a couple of weeks off there and got some good work in last week, just getting used to links turf again. I did a bit of work last week back home on some links, but it's more just getting here, seeing how firm it's got.'
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Reuters
25 minutes ago
- Reuters
Spain's Bonmati keen to add Euro crown to glittering medal haul
LAUSANNE, Switzerland July 25 (Reuters) - Aitana Bonmati is hoping to add another piece of silverware to her bulging trophy cabinet when Spain play their first Women's Euro final, taking on holders England in Basel on Sunday. The 27-year-old playmaker has won six league titles and three Champions League crowns with Barcelona and taken home the Ballon d-Or Feminin in 2023 and 2024, as well as a World Cup and Nations League title with Spain. "It would close the circle a little bit -- this, together with the Olympic Games," she told reporters at the team's base in Lausanne on Friday. "We want to add the only tournaments that we are missing. For me personally, it would be very nice in the future to have the memory of having won the great tournaments at the highest level in football." Spain's best finish to date in the Euros came in 1997 when they came third, and their only appearance in the Olympic tournament led to an agonising fourth-place finish at the Paris Games in 2024, where they lost the bronze-medal match to Germany. Sunday's final -- a repeat of the 2023 World Cup final -- promises to be a tight affair, with six of the last seven games between the two sides decided by a single goal and the seventh a scoreless draw. "The game on Sunday is unique, very one-on-one, where things are decided by the smallest margins. Anything can happen, no matter how experienced or knowledgeable you are," Bonmati explained. "They have it too, they have lived through many finals. It is going to be a very equal match in that respect." Bonmati and her teammates are very conscious of where the game will be won and lost. "When we talk about our game, we talk about a possession game, and we, in the vast majority of games, have had possession. So if we don't have it, something bad will happen, so I hope we have it more than England," she said.


Daily Mail
25 minutes ago
- Daily Mail
Donald Trump is here for more than a friendly round of golf... he wants to see The Open back at Turnberry
After touching down at Prestwick Airport last night, Donald Trump disembarked from Air Force One, took some questions and then headed south to his luxurious resort at Turnberry. Among some rather more serious issues, he was also asked about his golf course in Ayrshire hosting The Open. And he was unequivocal... he wants the Championship back there. After spending some time at Turnberry, he will head north to officially open a new golf course at his other resort near Aberdeen, before meeting Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer to hold talks over trade deals. Trump arrives to a very mixed backdrop of protests, petitions and political unrest, as well as enjoying support in some quarters. His golf course at Turnberry has been back in the headlines after the idea of hosting the Open Championship was raised again. R&A chief executive Mark Darbon stated that talks remain ongoing with the Trump family, and said of Turnberry: 'We love the golf course but we have some big logistical issues there.' Here, Mail Sport's Calum Crowe puts Turnberry under the microscope and assesses the likelihood of it hosting The Open once again, as well as looking at some of the changes Trump has made. What is Turnberry's history with The Open and how did we get to this point? With its stunning scenery and spectacular layout, the Ailsa Course has hosted The Open on four occasions. Its first staging of the championship in 1977 saw the famous Duel in the Sun between Jack Nicklaus and Tom Watson. Greg Norman then won his first major at the venue in 1986, before Nick Price prevailed in 1994. In 2009, we nearly witnessed the greatest sports story ever told when Watson, aged 59, came agonisingly close to what would have been a sixth Claret Jug, losing in a play-off to Stewart Cink. Turnberry hasn't hosted the tournament since then, with Trump buying the resort for around £40million in 2014. Peter Dawson, who was the outgoing chief executive of the R&A at the time, had initially been positive about Trump's involvement and the plans to invest £200m in upgrading the golf course and wider facilities on the 800-acre site. But, by the time Trump had been elected as President for the first time in 2017, relations had soured. He was viewed as politically toxic and the R&A wanted nothing to do with him. Although Turnberry has never officially been taken off the rota, it was widely accepted that The Open would never return there while it was under Trump's ownership. Martin Slumbers, who replaced Dawson as R&A chief executive, said last year: 'The position at the moment, in respect of Turnberry, is that we will not be taking events there until we're comfortable that the whole dialogue will be about golf.' Slumbers has since moved on and been replaced by Darbon. How does Turnberry compare to other Open venues in terms of logistics and transport? It's often said that Turnberry lacks the infrastructure and travel network to host an event like The Open. There's certainly an element of truth in that. For instance, for anyone travelling south from Ayr or Glasgow, there are only really two roads. There is the A77, which is essentially the main road and would be the most popular route for anyone travelling by car. There is now a new bypass which means you no longer have to drive through the tight and twisty streets of Maybole. That is undoubtedly a huge help, with the other road being the coastal route which takes you past Maidens and Culzean Castle. But the closest train stations to Turnberry are Girvan and Maybole, both of which would then require a shuttle bus to reach the golf course. It's not ideal, but St Andrews suffers from similar problems. The road network around the wider area near St Andrews is awful and regularly gridlocked during The Open. The closest train station is Leuchars which, like Girvan and Maybole, is a few miles away from the main venue and requires shuttle buses. Royal St George's is another course on the current rota where the roads and travel network are far from ideal. So, while Turnberry certainly faces its challenges in terms of travel, it's really not any worse than certain other courses. What improvements has Trump made to the golf course and the property as a whole? When he bought the resort in 2014, Trump pledged to pump around £200m into the renovation of both the course and the hotel facilities to make it among the best of its kind anywhere in the world. On that front, it's been a resounding success. Already a top-class course even prior to his involvement, the Ailsa has been redeveloped to brilliant effect. The initial changes began in 2015, and all 18 holes were revamped to some degree or another. The biggest changes were from coastal holes 4 through to 11, with many of the greens and tees being redesigned. The famous lighthouse was also redesigned into a halfway house which now features catering and hospitality facilities. Further enhancements were completed earlier this year, led by renowned architect Martin Ebert. The biggest change saw the green at the par-five 7th moved more towards the cliff edge for more dramatic effect. The changes to the hotel and facilities have also been well received. All 204 guest rooms have been fully refurbished, as well as all bars and restaurant spaces. Nine new cottage suites have been built, at a cost of around £1.6m each. They are more geared towards family breaks and are dog-friendly. Turnberry is also now an increasingly popular wedding venue. What would all of this cost to the average member of the public? On the face of it, the current green fee for a round on the Ailsa Course is pretty eye-watering. If you are not staying at the hotel and want to book a tee time in peak season (May-September) before 1pm, it'll cost you £1,000. That makes it one of the most expensive in Europe. Teeing off after 1pm, it'll be £545. There is a huge difference, though, if you are staying at the hotel as a guest. If so, you will pay £425 during peak times, and £315 during off-peak season. For context, a round at Royal Troon just a little further up the road will cost you £365. If you're staying at Turnberry, a standard double room will cost £674 per night during peak season. The suites, named after the golfers who won The Open at Turnberry, start at just under £2,500 per night. The hotel sells bottles of whisky in excess of £60,000 a pop. There are 352 chandeliers in total, with the eight in the main ballroom costing £250,000 each. If you want to get married at Turnberry, the average wedding at the luxury five-star venue is believed to cost between £25,000-£30,000. If you were to go for the top-end package and hire the Donald J Trump Ballroom, you would be well in excess of £50,000. To have and to hold, to love and to cherish, but only if you happen to have a spare 50 grand lying around... What are the key reasons behind the R&A's reluctance to go back to Turnberry? Is it really all about Trump? It all boils down to two key reasons: Trump and money. The R&A viewed him as politically toxic when he was elected as President first time around. Above and beyond the logistical challenges of going back to Turnberry, it was that toxicity which became the main issue. In 2015, when Turnberry hosted the Women's Open during his election campaign, Trump arrived in a helicopter on the front lawn outside the hotel. Immediately holding a press conference, he declared: 'The world has asked me to be here.' The golf tournament was relegated to a footnote. At the recent FIFA Club World Cup in America, he was front and centre for Chelsea's trophy celebrations. The R&A shudder to think how he would behave if the Claret Jug was to be presented to the Champion Golfer of the Year at Turnberry. The financial implications of going back to Turnberry have also grown to a level where it is now money — rather than Trump — that is blocking a return. The Open Championship has grown exponentially from the last time Turnberry played host in 2009. Attendances over the week are now regularly in excess of 250,000. At Royal Portrush last week, the final figure was 278,000. At St Andrews in 2022, it was a record 290,000. In 2009, there were only around 120,000 fans in attendance at Turnberry. Given the financial hit that lower attendances would pose to their revenue streams, there's no way the R&A will take that kind of risk unless major improvements are made to Turnberry's logistics and infrastructure. While the golf course is among the best in the world, Turnberry is a fairly remote location, with limited travel and accommodation links, and no real town to speak of in the surrounding area. So, what does the future rota look like and when might we see Turnberry host The Open again? The next couple of years are already set in stone. In 2026, The Open will be held at Royal Birkdale, before going back to St Andrews in 2027. It's widely expected that Portmarnock in Ireland will be among the frontrunners to be added to the rota for 2028. That could push things as far back as 2029 before we might see The Open return to Turnberry. The R&A's stance has softened somewhat. They are not as vehemently opposed to Trump as they once were. They recognise that Turnberry is one of the most popular of all Open venues among the players. But, as Trump embarks on his tour of Scotland over these next few days, it still feels like there's a lot of boxes that need to be ticked before this sleeping beauty catches sight of the Claret Jug once more.


The Guardian
an hour ago
- The Guardian
‘I'm making hard decisions': Wiegman leaps Lionesses hurdles to stand on verge of glory
Sarina Wiegman sits down in the chair left for her in a ring of journalists looking remarkably relaxed, the intensity and energy seen during and in the immediate aftermath of the thrilling last-gasp quarter-final and semi-final wins over Sweden and Italy gone. This is her usual state, calm, and as England prepare for a third major tournament final, against Spain on Sunday, and Wiegman's fifth consecutive major final, it's what they need. Asked to look back on her own development during four whirlwind years in charge, she is reflective. 'As every person in this room develops, I develop too, with experiences,' she says. 'First my English has improved, so I understand a lot more, but also you learn more about the people you work with. You learn more again about yourself and how you respond to things and, while I'm always working on developing the team and developing or trying to help the development of people, I always try to keep developing myself. 'What I've really wanted to do over all these years is try to enjoy it all a little bit more. You have to be focused in this job, you have to be focused but you need to celebrate the moments that are good, it's really nice.' The midfielder Keira Walsh said the manager has been incredibly consistent during her time at the helm. 'She probably shows her excitement a little bit more after games than she used to do,' she said. 'When you see on the side she's dancing and singing and we didn't see that so much when she first came in. But, in terms of how she delivers tactics and how she manages, I think she is very, very similar. 'She's probably one of the best managers I've played for in terms of trying to make everyone feel loved. It's a really, really difficult job when you're in a tournament, and obviously people want to play, people aren't, but she really, really cares about the human side. Another thing that you notice when you play for her is how calm she is. It makes a massive difference in the 95th minute when you're losing 1-0, and you look to the side and she's very calm. That speaks volumes of her as a manager.' Wiegman smiles at the mention of her celebrations when Walsh's comments are relayed to her. 'That comes from these performances, of course. It's so intense. Of course I look very calm, but when the whistle goes and we score a goal and we change the game, when you have one minute left or 10 seconds left, of course that is emotional.' The manager has perhaps had more scrutiny in the buildup to this tournament than at any other point during her time with England. Performances have been questioned and the sudden retirements of Mary Earps and Fran Kirby plus the withdrawal of Millie Bright from selection, was cause for concern. 'In this environment you have challenges all the time,' says Wiegman. 'Before the World Cup, we had challenges with players who were injured. Of course, we prepare a lot and we know the players really well. We think of scenarios: 'Who is the first player to select? Who is the second?' You're prepared for challenges. The challenge ahead of the tournament is the same for an injured player or a player who is not available. You have to move on to what you want and who is ready to compete.' Wiegman's directness has at times rubbed players up the wrong way, particularly in the Netherlands, but she is pragmatic in her approach: if you add value to the team, you are in, if you don't or don't anymore, you are moved on. With time, wins and the authority that comes with them, players are more easily brought on board with her approach on and off the pitch. And, regardless of some former Dutch players having expressed frustrations in the past, there are many that will speak about the impact of that human approach. The former Netherlands and Ado den Haag player Rianne Schorel is one of them. Schorel has nothing but love for Wiegman, despite having lost contact with her former manager since she was forced from the game due to a head injury that took 10 years to recover from. Wiegman's attention to player welfare and her support for Schorel was hugely appreciated by the former player both at the time and still is today. The chief executive of the Football Association, Mark Bullingham, picked that characteristic out as a key reason as to why she is so special. Sign up to Moving the Goalposts No topic is too small or too big for us to cover as we deliver a twice-weekly roundup of the wonderful world of women's football after newsletter promotion 'Generally, her connection with everyone is so special,' he said. 'I would say that every single individual member of staff coming into this camp felt valued by her, knew exactly what their role was and how they could be part of an overall team. Really stressing that everyone's in it together is critical and I think she's really helped build a very, very strong culture, not just amongst players but the whole support team.' Often players refer to her as being like a mum. 'Yeah …', says an unsure Wiegman. 'Sometimes when people talk about 'the girls' I think: 'Do they mean my daughters or do they mean my team?' So, that's tricky, I'm kind of a caring person. I care about them but at the same time I'm the coach, I'm making hard decisions at the moment so sometimes you have to leave that caring and leave it up to them. They're grown-up women, but a mum should care.' Regardless of subjective opinions on England's run to the final, Wiegman's record speaks for itself and is an objective fact. 'She's just a very special coach and I think there are teams here that have got good players that haven't made it through to a final,' added Bullingham. 'We have got good players but so have some other countries. She's performed so well at the highest level, keeping that calm composure, keeping the connection with the players and managing the games really well.' Schorel, having gone to play college football in the US before returning to the Netherlands, remembers Wiegman talking to her about calming down, taking some intensity out of her game and not overworking. This is familiar to those that have covered England for some time because that is the same message she came into the job delivering. Leah Williamson most recently reflected on that time: 'The English are known for having a certain type of mentality – a fight about us. Historically we've maybe been quite a defensive team. I remember one of the first things she said was: 'Just slow down', she wanted us to focus on the football.' Though Wiegman and the Lionesses stand on the verge of more records and more history, the personal acclaim is something she is uncomfortable with. 'Yeah, I do find that awkward,' she says. 'Of course, I find it very special too, but I do believe that everyone plays his or her part in the success. What I'm trying to do is bring people together in the best possible way, players and staff, and the people around me are really, really good. If they perform at their highest level, then the chance of winning a game is the highest possible. That's what I'm trying to do. I think I'm pretty good at bringing people together, but without the quality, you're not going to win a tournament. 'So, you need very good players, the support staff, the environment we've created, how we can do recovery, how we can do the gym sessions with players, the pitch, which is perfect to train on. There's so many things that make us who we are now.'