Ryder Cup star in race against time to be fit for PGA Tour's FedEx Cup finale at East Lake
Two-time PGA Tour winner Bob MacIntyre has flown his home physio out to Atlanta in a bid to sort his back out ahead of the Tour Championship.
Bob MacIntyre has flown his physio Stuart Barton out to this week's Tour Championship in a bid to try and sort his back out for the PGA Tour's FedEx Cup finale at East Lake.
MacIntyre, 28, withdrew during the third round of the BMW Championship after picking up a back injury over the weekend.
"Sadly, we have to announce that Robert MacIntyre has withdrawn from the BMW Championship with a niggling back injury incurred in the last five minutes before his tee time in Round 3," confirmed Bounce Sports Management who represents MacIntyre.
"He will now receive treatment in the hope of making [the] Tour Championship."
The WD dropped this year's two-time PGA Tour winner from 12th down to 20th in the FedEx Cup standings on the eve of the Tour Championship in Atlanta.
MacIntyre will start the tournament at 2-under par and eight shots behind FedEx Cup leader Scottie Scheffler.
According to MacIntyre's manager Iain Stoddart, who spoke to The Scotsman's Martin Dempster on Sunday night, the European Ryder Cup hero is expected to be fit enough to start the Tour Championship on Thursday.
"He is sore just now," Stoddart told The Scotsman.
"We've flown out Stuart, who gets here tonight and gets a few days to try and get him right for Thursday.
"He'll ultimately be fine, just hopefully in time for Thursday."
Related: Tour Championship starting scores
MacIntyre is scheduled to get his first round underway at 12.16pm local time alongside Akshay Bhatia.
The Scot captured his maiden PGA Tour title with his father Dougie on the bag earlier this season at the RBC Canadian Open.
He then went and won his home Genesis Scottish Open at The Renaissance Club a week in July.
MacIntyre is currently ranked 16th in the world.
Hideki Matsuyama also withdrew from the BMW Championship last week with a back injury.
Matsuyama will start the Tour Championship well in contention for the FedEx Cup at just three shots off the pace.
The winner of the FedEx Cup will receive a PGA Tour record bonus of $25m.
2024 Tour Championship first round tee times, Thursday pairings
- 11:16 a.m. — Christiaan Bezuidenhout, Justin Thomas
- 11:27 a.m. — Tom Hoge, Aaron Rai
- 11:38 a.m. — Taylor Pendrith, Chris Kirk
- 11:49 a.m. — Sepp Straka, Matthieu Pavon
- 12:00 p.m. — Billy Horschel, Tommy Fleetwood
- 12:16 p.m. — Akshay Bhatia, Robert MacIntyre
- 12:27 p.m. — Viktor Hovland, Russell Henley
- 12:38 p.m. — Tony Finau, Byeong Hun An
- 12:49 p.m. — Shane Lowry, Adam Scott
- 1:00 p.m. — Sungjae Im, Sahith Theegala
- 1:16 p.m. — Sam Burns, Patrick Cantlay
- 1:27 p.m. — Collin Morikawa, Wyndham Clark
- 1:38 p.m. — Ludvig Åberg, Rory McIlroy
- 1:49 p.m. — Hideki Matsuyama, Keegan Bradley
- 2:00 p.m. — Scottie Scheffler, Xander Schauffele
| Scottie Scheffler | -10 |
| Xander Schauffele | -8 |
| Hideki Matsuyama | -7 |
| Keegan Bradley | -6 |
| Ludvig Aberg | -5 |
| Rory McIlroy | -4 |
| Collin Morikawa | -4 |
| Wyndham Clark | -4 |
| Sam Burns | -4 |
| Patrick Cantlay | -4 |
| Sungjae Im | -3 |
| Sahith Theegala | -3 |
| Shane Lowry | -3 |
| Adam Scott | -3 |
| Tony Finau | -3 |
| Ben An | -2 |
| Viktor Hovland | -2 |
| Russell Henley | -2 |
| Akshay Bhatia | -2 |
| Bob MacIntyre | -2 |
| Billy Horschel | -1 |
| Tommy Fleetwood | -1 |
| Sepp Straka | -1 |
| Matthieu Pavon | -1 |
| Taylor Pendrith | -1 |
| Chris Kirk | Par |
| Tom Hoge | Par |
| Aaron Rai | Par |
| Christian Bezuidenhout | Par |
| Justin Thomas | Par |
