Rory McIlroy may only be 36 years old, but the seven-time member of Team Europe has already tipped his cap to the players he reckons are the future of the side.

11 of the 12 members of Luke Donald’s side are playing in the BMW Championship at Wentworth as their preparations intensify ahead of what is tipped to be one of the closest Ryder Cups ever.

There are a plethora of storylines set to unfold over a tension-filled weekend at Bethpage Black, from Team USA captain Keegan Bradley’s decision not to pick himself to the thought of European heavyweights like Rory McIlroy and Jon Rahm squaring off against world number one Scottie Scheffler and the dynamic Bryson DeChambeau.

However, McIlroy, Tommy Fleetwood, and others reckon Bob MacIntyre is now one of the game’s greats.

Photo by Richard Heathcote/Getty Images

Rory McIlroy once called Rasmus and Nicolai Hojgaard the future alongside Bob MacIntyre

Bob MacIntyre broke through with a top-12 finish at the Masters in 2021 and has built a solid career through consistently making cuts on the PGA Tour before capturing the Canadian Open title and the Scottish Open title to propel him into the winner’s circle with the very best.

McIlroy tipped him to be the future of Team Europe alongside a few other young, hungry talents.

Back in 2022, the Northern Irishman declared, “The Hojgaards [Rasmus and Nicolai], Bobby Mac, whoever else is coming up, they are the future of the Ryder Cup team.”

Speaking at Wentworth this week, the current Masters champion backed up his three-year-old comments.

“We all knew these guys had a lot of potential,” he said. “But they have gone out and they have earned it.”

And earned it they have.

MacIntyre was an integral part of the 2023 winning side, playing alongside the experienced Justin Rose before earning a point in singles against the then-US Open champions Wyndham Clark.

Rory McIlroy makes it clear how highly he rates Bob MacIntyre

McIlroy was effusive in his praise for MacIntyre and others, admitting that he’s one of the old timers now and is keen to make sure the next generation gets their fair share of praise too.

“Bob has turned himself into one of the best players in the world, a really gritty competitor,” McIlroy added.

“It was Nicolai last time in Rome and Rasmus this time in New York, and probably we weren’t even talking about Ludvig [Aberg] at that time because he was still in college.

“Yeah, it’s great to see. You could make an argument that the 12 guys that we have going to New York are more accomplished golfers than they were two years ago, when most of us were in Rome. But it is amazing that those guys have stepped up and filled those spots that have been vacated by some of the older guard who have moved on at this point.

“Yeah, I will be one of those older guards that’s going to be moving on here in the next decade or so, and I’m sure there’s going to be great European talent coming to take my spot as well.”.

MacIntyre qualified for 2023 on points and did likewise this time, with a strong finish at the US Open and the stateside version of the BMW Championship a few weeks ago.

The Obanite will be hoping that his stellar form and words of encouragement from his team-mates propel him to Ryder Cup glory in late September.