TROON, Scotland — 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 1-over 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.”
A full swing with the club the wrong way round…
Lefty Bob MacIntyre somehow made par from here. pic.twitter.com/zaE5hbBoPA
— The Open (@TheOpen) July 20, 2024
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.
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 practiced.
“Full swipe at it – I’ve not done one, I don’t think, in my life,” he said.
