Robert MacIntyre has admitted his golf was “in a dark place” earlier this year before he turned it around and played himself into the top 20 of the world rankings.

MacIntyre played the majority of the year competing on the PGA Tour in America after earning his card 12 months ago thanks to his performances on the DP World Tour.

The 28-year-old said making some adjustments within his team was one of the keys to the turnaround in his fortunes.

“It wasn’t a dark place personally – I was in a dark place with my game,” he told BBC Sport Scotland.

“When I stepped on the golf course I wasn’t enjoying it. I learned from a couple of things and changed some things within my team.

“So far so good. It’s about me trying to enjoy myself out on the course and not being too hard on myself. I’m just trying to hit as many good shots as I can.”

MacIntyre says it was an education leaving his Oban home and moving to Florida, where he was based for the first six months of the year.

However the world number 16 announced earlier this summer that he will be based back in Oban in 2025, a year he will tackle with increased confidence.

“I learned a lot this year. I enjoy the competitive side and the golf side of it [in America] – but what I did learn was that my golf game can hold up anywhere in the world,” he added.

“It’s difficult out there. The standard is very high and you are trying to become one of the best players in the world. You have to compete against the best and that’s what I’m doing.”

MacIntyre’s year turned around in dramatic style at the end of May when he lifted the Canadian Open with his father Dougie caddying for him after flying in at the last minute.

After that came a stunning home win at The Renaissance Club in East Lothian, when he became the first Scotsman to win the Scottish Open since Colin Montgomerie in 1999.