Robert MacIntyre revealed a pep talk from his father provided the spark for a late flurry of birdies as he took control at the top of the leaderboard at the RBC Canadian Open.
The 27-year-old, chasing his first PGA Tour win on only his 44th start, heads into the final day with a four-shot lead.
The Oban golfer started the day tied for the lead with Ryan Fox but carded a third round 66 to move to 14-under for the tournament and four strokes clear of Mackenzie Hughes, Ben Griffin and Fox.
MacIntyre opened the day with a bogey and reached the turn one-over for his round before a birdie on 10 and another dropped shot at the 13th.
But the Ryder Cup player recovered with three birdies on the spin before rolling in a 30-foot putt for eagle on the par five 17th.
MacIntyre, who has his father Dougie caddying for him in Canada this week, said: “He was having a wee go at me when I was walking from the 10th tee down to the fairway.
“Look, he was a sporting guy, he knows how to win, knows how to lose, he’s been through it all.
“He could see my head going a little bit and he’s like: ‘What have you been working on for the last eight weeks, 10 weeks?’ when I realized what was the problem.
“I kind of flipped into that mode and tried to find the positive in everything.”
Nothing other than pride and guts
MacIntyre says he is enjoying the experience of having his dad as a stand-in caddie adding: “Caddies are so valuable out here, especially on a golf course like this where it’s a lot of slopes.
“It’s just different, it hits differently, because he properly means it.
“And I know the caddies mean it for another reason, they’re obviously wanting us to do well, but my dad wants me to do well because we’re blood, you know what I mean, and there’s nothing other than pride and guts and what we’re trying to do.
“He’s been through thick and thin with me.
“He taught me how to play the game of golf until really I started working with a coach probably at about 14, 15.
“To be honest with you, it’s just, it was me, him, my family going round four holes at Glencruitten Golf Club out the back of the house for many years.”
MacIntyre intends to lean on his experience of being part of the victorious Ryder Cup team last year as he chases a first PGA Tour success.
He added: “There’s a couple of things that people have told me, obviously my playing partner Justin Rose, who is, that man’s done it all in the game of golf. I have so much respect for him, especially being a partner and being side by side fighting for the same cause.
“He’s given me something that I’ll never forget, and tomorrow I’m going to try and implement it and play my best and the outcome will be the outcome.”
