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For 42 faintly ridiculous minutes in the early hours of Monday morning - Oban time - Robert MacIntyre looked like he might become a major champion.

He will then head home to Oban after 11 weeks on the road prior to the defence of his Scottish Open title next month.

Born and bred in Oban, MacIntyre has lived on a golf course for much of his life.

Shinty is his first love, and was a regular with Oban Celtic until he reluctantly had to hang up his Caman lest an injury derailed his golf.

Generous with his time, he always makes a point of walking down the line of the youngsters waiting for an autograph after every round, good or bad, remembering at one point he was in that line as "a wee boy from Oban".