Bob MacIntyre has spoken about how he feels his game is “streets ahead” this year compared to his fairytale 2024 campaign as he targets a sixth career win and breaking into the top ten in the world for the first time. The 28-year-old made it back-to-back top-ten finishes in majors after following his runner-up effort in last month’s US Open at Oakmont with a tie for sixth behind Scottie Scheffler in The 153rd Open at Royal Portrush on Sunday. On the back of those efforts, MacIntyre is now second in Europe’s Ryder Cup qualifying points list, having virtually secured an automatic spot along with Rory McIlroy for the biennial contest against the US at Bethpage Black in September. The world No 14, who won both the RBC Canadian Open and Genesis Scottish Open last year, has recorded five top-ten finishes on the PGA Tour this season and has a victory in his sights in the FedEx Cup Play-Offs, which start with the FedEx St Jude Championship in Memphis in a fortnight’s time. “I want to win,” said MacIntyre, speaking to a small group of Scottish golf reporters at Royal Portrush, in reply to being asked about his goals apart from the Ryder Cup between now and the end of the year. “Top ten in the world as well and I am very close to it. So there's a lot of massive things. I just want to improve every year on what I've done. “It might not be visual on the FedEx points list or on the Race to Dubai, but, statistically, and me and Mike [Burrow, his caddie] were talking about it on the golf course, it's not even night and day how much better I am at this game or how much more complete of a player compared to last year. It's just streets ahead. “It's just allowing it to happen in little pieces. I'm finishing top ten in a major this week and being frustrated with certain parts of my game. Things are good, and I've just got to wait my turn.” Time and time again over the past couple of years or so, MacIntyre has shown how’s developed a knack of squeezing everything he can out of a tournament, as evidenced on Sunday as he finished with a flourish, covering the last six holes in four under, to end up tied for seventh alongside McIlroy and defending champion Xander Schauffele. “The start of that was at Valhalla last year, when I eagled the last and finished in the top ten,” he said of the PGA Championship at the Louisville venue. “So that was my big learning. I remember somewhere before that I was in with a chance, threw the kitchen sink at it, disaster, and then the next week it was staying patient. “Nothing was happening, stay patient, stay patient, eagle the last, top ten. I'm human and I lose the plot every now and again. It is so difficult for me to stay patient, stay calm.” Referring to his final round in Northern Ireland, the left-hander added: “I was getting annoyed out there early on through five, six holes. But it was just wait on your run. It will come. Might not come this week, but then go into next week and just let it happen. It's easy enough to force it, and when you force it, errors come.” Though admitting that his schedule had been “absolutely hectic” in the opening half of the season, MacIntyre is hoping to keep the foot down when the FedEx Cup Play-Offs get underway while he will also be playing in the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth in the run up to the Ryder Cup. “When I'm driving it this well, when you can shape it, you've got control of it, you feel like you can absolutely demolish golf courses,” he said with a smile. “You feel as though it is around the corner. It's difficult to win, but you feel it when you've got the driver going the way it is. That's why I keep going. After the Play-Offs there will be a little break then Wentworth and we'll piece together the plan for Bethpage.”