Golf

Robert MacIntyre admits Open struggle has brought him back to earth with a bump

MacIntyre won the Scottish Open last week.

Scottish Open winner Robert MacIntyre has had a difficult week at Royal Troon
Scottish Open winner Robert MacIntyre has had a difficult week at Royal Troon (Jane Barlow/PA)
By Andy Hampson, PA

Robert MacIntyre admitted Royal Troon had brought him back down to earth as he struggled to replicate last week’s heroics.

The Oban-based left-hander celebrated long into the night after triumphing in his home Scottish Open last Sunday but it has been a different story in Ayrshire this week.

After battling to make the Open cut on Friday, the 27-year-old again found the going tough in the third round, carding a one-over-par 72 to sit on six over.

The back nine proved particularly challenging as he registered three bogeys, although he escaped with a par on the 18th after being forced to innovate and play a shot right-handed.

MacIntyre said: “A lot of people have been struggling this week.

“After yesterday’s (first) four holes, I thought I’d be sitting on my couch in Oban right now, not playing golf. It was a big effort last night and, coming out today, I didn’t have everything going.

“But that’s golf. Last week you were the champion and this week you’re just bottom of the pack.”

MacIntyre was pleased to take four on the last after his tee shot landed just to the left of a deep fairway bunker.

Playing conventionally would have meant having to stand in the sand trap, well below the level of the ball, and so he decided to play right-handed with the clubhead turned around.

MacIntyre acknowledged the crowd after completing his third round
MacIntyre acknowledged the crowd after completing his third round (Jane Barlow/PA)

He struck his shot cleanly enough to get close to the green, albeit with aid of a ricochet off the grandstand, and from there he got up and down.

MacIntyre said: “I got a good bit of luck to miss the bunker but then you get up there and you’ve got no shot.

“I couldn’t even stand in the bunker and hit it. I just thought, why not hit it right-handed?

“As long as it was up the right, it was fine. The only place I couldn’t go was left, so I kind of aimed at the right TV tower.”

MacIntyre admitted such a trick was not something he had practised.

“Full swipe at it – I’ve not done one, I don’t think, in my life,” he said.