Bob MacIntyre is heading back to The Masters for the first time in three years truly believing he can emulate fellow Scot Sandy Lyle by winning a Green Jacket, according to two former major champions. The Oban man finished joint-12th in his debut appearance at Augusta National in 2021 to clinch a return trip 12 months later, when he narrowly missed out on a place in the top 20 in the season’s opening major. He’s had to sit out the last two editions after failing to secure an invitation, but the 28-year-old is now gearing up for an eagerly-anticipated return to the Georgia venue next week as a world’s top-20 player after winning both the RBC Canadian Open and Genesis Scottish Open last year. Lyle created history as the first player from the UK to claim a Green Jacket in 1988 and, though it will be a tall order for MacIntyre to emulate his compatriot, former US Open champions Curtis Strange and Andy North both believe the current Scottish No 1 is making this journey up Magnolia Lane with a genuine chance. “He's got speed. He's got talent. He's won now,” said double US Open winner Strange, speaking in an ESPN media conference call ahead of the 89th Masters, which gets underway next Thursday, of the left-hander. “It's hard to put into words the importance of winning and what that does for just your self-belief. “Do you walk around with your chest puffed out all day long? No, but when a shot comes out the next day or the next month or next month at the Masters, you know down deep inside that you've done it under the gun. You believe in yourself a little bit more. “Whoever wins The Masters this year is basically the same player that they were the day before. The difference is, if it's a young kid, the belief in yourself, the confidence to do it again and again and again. It's huge. He has that right now.” North, who also landed two title triumphs in the US Open, talked up MacIntyre, who will be the sole Scot in the field on this occasion after having Lyle for company on both his previous appearances and Martin Laird, too, for the first one, as well on the same call. “I don't see Bob being much of a different player today than he was maybe two years ago,” said the ESPN golf analyst. “I just think for the first time, he really believes that he can do it, and that's such a big part of it. I think deep down, he knows he can win. He knows that he can beat these guys. I don't think he knew that two or three years ago.” Rory McIlroy, who is chasing a career grand slam, is heading into this attempt on the back of landing two PGA Tour wins this season in the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am and, more recently, The Players Championship in a play-off. With Sepp Straka (The American Express), Thomas Detry (WM Phoenix Open), Ludvig Aberg (The Genesis Invitational) and Viktor Hovland (Valspar Championship) also having tasted success this year, it’s the most European victories there’s been on the US circuit before The Masters in the modern era. “Rory, obviously, is doing some things exceptionally well right now,” noted North of the world No 2 and second favourite behind defending champion and world No 1 Scottie Scheffler. “I thought that at The Players, he putted probably as well as we've seen him putt in a long time. He made a ton of critical putts. “The one thing that's usually hurt Rory is, he'd miss one of those six or eight-footers at a critical time on the back nine on Sunday or at a key time. But he looks like he's really ready to go. “I love Åberg. I've talked about him a lot over the last year. I think he's an amazing talent. He's the kind of kid that when he's good, he's really good. He hasn't been as consistent this year as we've seen him over the past couple years, but he sure has the ability to get it done. “One of the curious guys, you look at Viktor Hovland. Here's a guy who's been a mess. He's had three or four different guys work with him over the last 18 months. He doesn't want to go to Tampa because he's playing so poorly. He decides to go at the last minute and ends up winning. So welcome to golf. You have no idea when it's going to come, what's happening, but it sounds like he's doing some good things. “I think The Masters is going to be really interesting to see if one of the foreigners can stick their head up there and be there at the end.” Aberg finished second on his debut 12 months ago, which Strange hailed as a phenomenal performance at a venue where it normally takes a bit of time for players to feel comfortable, particularly on the greens due to a combination of the slopes on them and also being lightning fast. “It does take time to learn the nuances,” he observed. “When you first see it, you say ‘what's the big deal?’. But the more you play it, you say there is a big deal, there is local knowledge, there is the movement of putts to Rae's Creek, there are places you do not want to hit it around these greens. So things like that, that you do learn the more you play it, and you really only learn it by putting it in a terrible position and not doing it again. “But this is only the second Masters for Aberg while MacIntyre is playing well, has a lot of ability. I think Straka has got the best backswing in golf and is so efficient, so accurate and playing very, very consistent golf. Shane Lowry, one of the more consistent players on tour already this year. “Then there’s Viktor Hovland. You're ready to shoot yourself and, all of a sudden, you win. Is that an anomaly or is that movement in the right direction? Anyway, a lot of good (European) players.”