There's no doubting Robert MacIntyre's desire to be the best he can be - as he's aiming for the very top of the sport and is bang up for the seemingly impossible task of catching World No.1 Scottie Scheffler.
The Scottish left-hander features in the latest edition of Golf Monthly and gave us an insight into his life on the PGA Tour and well-documented struggles with homesickness as well as his Major targets for 2025.
It was a career-defining year for MacIntyre in 2024 as he won the Canadian Open on the PGA Tour and also his home Scottish Open - the tournament the man from Oban wanted above all else.
MacIntyre is not one to shy away from setting lofty goals though, and although Scheffler has been untouchable of late, getting to World No.1 is very much among those targets.
After initially struggling to feel comfortable on the big stage, MacIntyre now finds playing against the likes of Scheffler and Rory McIlroy is second nature to him.
MacIntyre has also played against Scheffler since his junior golf days, and although having such familiarity won't help catch such a brilliant player, he's still not afraid to have top spot as a goal.
"Well, it would help if Scottie took a few months off," MacIntyre says in the latest Golf Monthly. "Rather than just the few weeks he missed because of that weird incident when he cut his hand on some broken glass at Christmas!
"Scottie is a great golfer, and he has set the bar at an incredibly high level. The rest of us have to try to find a way of matching that, because I can’t see him slipping back any time soon."
Robert MacIntyre won the Canadian Open before adding the Scottish Open
MacIntyre believes he still has a lot of improvement in his game he can make to try and catch the likes of Scheffler, and is not going to back down from his goal of getting to the top.
"World No.1 I think has to be everyone’s goal. Who wants to be second best, at anything? We’re competitors, and we want to be winners. If you don't have that mindset, that ambition, you’re in the wrong job.
"You have to play incredible golf and I’ve got some way to go. But as I said, I’ve got a lot more improvement in me, and I’ll never stop trying to get to the top."
MacIntyre's Major focus for 2025
What would seriously help with pursuing World No.1 would be bagging a Major, and winning one of golf's biggest prizes is another thing at the top of MacIntyre's priorities for 2025.
Along with Augusta, where MacIntyre has finished T12 and T23, his best Major finish is the T6 he achieved in his debut at The Open at Royal Portrush - which again hosts the tournament in 2025.
"Massively excited to be going back to Augusta after not playing there the last two years," MacIntyre added. "It’s paradise on earth, and I think I’ve shown my game is a pretty good fit for the Masters. I’ll be disappointed if I don’t play well there again.
"And Portrush - everyone loves Portrush. I felt incredibly calm and composed playing my first Major there, and that is another course where I think I can make a big impact. But the truth is so much depends on getting a good draw at the Open.
"If there is a smelly side to the weather, and you get caught in that half, the harsh truth is however well you play, you are likely to struggle. So fingers crossed I get a good draw, and play the golf I’m capable of."
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