MacIntyre frustrated after 'maybe week'
MacIntyre frustrated after 'maybe week'
Brian McLauchlin - BBC Sport Scotland Senior ReporterSun, July 19, 2026 at 5:04 PM UTC
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Robert MacIntyre finished on two under par at Royal Birkdale
Robert MacIntyre admitted frustration after slipping down the leaderboard over the final two rounds of the Open.
The Oban golfer opened with a three-under 67 before a second-round 69 left him firmly in contention heading into the weekend.
However, consecutive rounds of 71 saw the 29-year-old Scot fall back as he missed out on a challenge for the Claret Jug.
Playing partner Cameron Young set the clubhouse lead at nine under par after a sensational 64, but MacIntyre was unable to reach those levels at Royal Birkdale.
"It was a maybe week," he said. "One good round away from being right in it.
"You watch Cam today post one of those rounds and he's in with a chance to win. It was just one of them weeks.
"Obviously what I was hoping would be a good round was one over par, then another one over par. So, yeah, a bit frustrating."
MacIntyre said adapting from PGA Tour conditions to links golf in the UK proved difficult, particularly when it came to club selection.
"I use a lot of bounce on my irons in the US. But when you come back here and it's hard pan, it's not really suited. I felt like I was just catching everything thin, spinny and clean. It just wasn't a good combo."
MacIntyre's fiery temperament was also on display during the final round when he slammed his driver into the ground after a wayward tee shot on the 16th hole, earning an official warning from tournament officials.
The Scot accepted the warning but insisted he has no intention of changing his approach.
"I mean, it's just a warning," he said. "I've had plenty of warnings in school. I won't change.
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"I get a step over the line sometimes with my frustration, but it's part of me.
"If we take that out of every player in the game of golf, you've got guys that don't budge when they do something, who are very disciplined. Then there's other people, probably mainly Europeans, who wear their heart on their sleeve and are a bit volatile.
"We're going to cross the line every now and again and get told off or get a two-shot penalty every now and again. But it's just the way we are. If we didn't have that, people wouldn't stick in and watch golf."
MacIntyre will now take a three-week break before returning for the closing stages of the PGA Tour season.
He also confirmed he will return to St Andrews later this year to defend his Alfred Dunhill Links Championship title.
For now, though, his focus is on spending time at home with partner Shannon and their five-month-old son, Finlay.
"I'm going to take three weeks off," he said. "I feel like I need a break this year.
"Life's changed for a good reason and I just feel like I need to spend some time at home and enjoy the time with them.
"I'll go and reset for three weeks, then come again at Memphis. Then I'll come back to Europe and play Dunhill, Wentworth, and then see where we're at."
Elsewhere, the other Scot in the field, Jack McDonald, finished on eight over par.
The 33-year-old trainee PGA professional will return to his day job at Whitecraigs Golf Club on Tuesday.
This was his second Open, having missed the cut at Royal Troon two years ago.
Source: “AOL Sports”
