You could feel the bad weather closing in on Royal Portrush during Friday morning. The atmosphere around the links grew stickier, and sweatier, every minute, and soon enough everyone was peeling off the layers of waterproof clothing they would be hurrying to get back on when the big black clouds broke open midway through the afternoon. It finally happened roundabout the very moment Bob MacIntyre was walking off the 18th green to sign for his 66, five under for the round, and the championship, and three shots off the clubhouse lead.
MacIntyre is 28, but an old hand around these links. He knew he needed to make birdies while the sun was shining and picked up six of them altogether, with just the one bogey at the 16th where his tee shot caught on the hillside by the green.
