Home hero Robert MacIntyre is setting his sights high as he looks to continue his stellar rookie European Tour campaign at the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship.
The European Challenge Tour graduate has enjoyed a brilliant start to life on the Race to Dubai, with three runner up finishes helping him to 13th place on the Race to Dubai Rankings Presented by Rolex.
That form so far has put him in pole position for the Sir Henry Cotton Rookie of the Year Award but MacIntyre is aiming to challenge to be Europe's Number One.
“Being in contention to win the Race to Dubai is the goal," he said. "Obviously we want to get as high up as possible going into the final few events but I’ve got a few things that I need to sort out before then and hopefully come the final event I can be knocking on the door.
“I’ll have maybe five or six weeks off at the end of the season. That will be the time to reflect and work on the things that we still need to work on.
“It’s been a quick year. At the start I was just trying to keep my card and then after the British Masters you sit back and go 'well, now I need to push on and try to win'.
"Going from just trying to keep your card to trying to win on the European Tour is a drastic move but I’m enjoying myself.
“I’ve not reflected too much, which is probably a good thing. We just keep going. You’re turning up trying to win at the end of the day but we just try to enjoy ourselves, especially this week on home soil and this kind of format."
Scottish players won three of the first five Alfred Dunhill Links Championships but no Scot has lifted the trophy since Colin Montgomerie followed in the footsteps of Paul Lawrie and Stephen Gallacher in 2005.
MacIntyre will be the main focus of the local fans this week but he insists he will not let the surroundings of St Andrews, Kingsbarns and Carnoustie, the home pressure or the Pro-Am nature of the event distract him.
“I’ll be staying quiet, no dance moves from me this week," he said. "I’m here to play golf. It’s obviously nice to have these stars around but I’m focused on my job.
“It’s great to be here but it’s not just about being at St Andrews. Being in front of a home crowd the support will be good again and hopefully we can have a good week.
“You’re out here with stars, celebrities, but it’s just about me being here to play golf and enjoy myself. Having a chat on the way round as well, which I like."
