Paul McGinley has hailed Bob MacIntyre as a potential dark horse for the forthcoming Masters, celebrating the Scottish golfer's swift ascent in the sport. The former Europe Ryder Cup captain was effusive in his praise for the 28-year-old's achievements, notably his back-to-back triumphs last year – clinching his first PGA Tour win at the Canadian Open and duly following up with success in the Scottish Championship, narrowly defeating Adam Scott with a closing birdie. McGinley is optimistic about MacIntyre's prospects of bagging a major title and feels his chances at Augusta shouldn't be overlooked, particularly noting the favourable history for left-handers at the renowned venue, reports the Irish Star. Speaking to Bunkered, he said: "Left-handers always do great at Augusta. A lot of the shots around Augusta are fades for him which is an easier shot to play than a draw." The former captain observed that since playing in the Ryder Cup 18 months prior, MacIntyre has evolved into a more polished player. His performance stats this season have impressed, along with his driving distance, accuracy off the tee, strong iron game, and impassioned style of play. Describing MacIntyre's resilience under pressure, McGinley remarked: "He's not afraid of the big moments. He proved that last year, going out leading in Canada at a big tournament and he didn't back down. Then he goes and wins his home event against a real quality field and didn't back down." Confident in MacIntyre's future prospects, McGinley adds: "He's got all the attributes and I have no doubt there's majors coming his way. I don't know how quickly but there's majors coming his way. On the current path he's on, it's brilliant. "He's part of the best Ryder Cup performance ever by a team. How he played buoyed him with a lot of confidence and he's carried that on. He's on a great trajectory. He'll be one of our top players in September." MacIntyre is set to take on Rory McIlroy at Augusta, having been noticeably irked last October during the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship when McIlroy's drive down the fairway came as MacIntyre was about to putt. Sky Sports commentator Rich Beem remarked: "Bob seems a little annoyed by that." The two have evidently buried the hatchet since, yet MacIntyre will be hoping for zero disruptions as he pursues his first major win. Meanwhile, McIlroy strives for his first green jacket and a major triumph first since 2014. Not qualifying for Augusta until 2023, an eager MacIntyre has confessed how challenging it was to sit out the tournament last year. He revealed: "It's not been nice when it's your favourite place." He further expressed: "But it makes you work harder at it and it makes you focus more when you're on the golf course. Obviously the two wins last year have made this happen. I just can't wait to get back to be honest." Sign up to our free sports newsletter to get the latest headlines to your inbox