Rickie Fowler warmed up for this week’s Aberdeen Standard Investments Scottish Open with a shinty lesson from Oban golfer Robert MacIntyre.
The pair met in a 14-club challenge filmed by the European Tour, where players attempt to find the green on a par-3 with the different clubs in the bag. The footage is set to be aired on Friday.
Fowler tees off with MacIntyre, whose father Dougie manages shinty side Oban Celtic, and Rory McIlroy in tomorrow’s first round at The Renaissance Club at 1.40pm.
He said: “I got to see Bob on Monday and we had some fun doing a little 14-club challenge.
“He is obviously a great player and I’m looking forward to playing alongside him.
“I’m sure we’re going to have some good crowds.”
Speaking about the 14-club challenge, Fowler said: “We had a draw and then we had a bunch of different play-off options. Bob ended up winning.
“It was not playing easy.”
On using the shinty stick, he added: “I hit a couple with it. There’s a little bit more drag compared to a golf club, but felt like I put a decent strike on it.
“It was fun to just go out there and have a mess around.”
Fowler has been sporting a mullet hairdo since May in a bid to raise money for his foundation as well as a leukaemia charity following the death of his friend and fellow PGA Tour player Jarrod Lyle
He said: “It’s coming off soon. Jason Dufner and I both did it for May, the time of the PGA, and we didn’t do it to look good.
“I’m going to miss it when it’s gone, but it can’t say forever. I don’t see it as a possible hairdo for the wedding in October. We’ll have it off by then.”