Golf
‘How bad of a hole is this…’ European Ryder Cup hero opens up on big worries
European Ryder Cup hero Robert MacIntyre has to pinch himself when he looks back on his monumental 2024 season, not just for having won twice in his first full year on the PGA Tour but also with how his mindset has evolved on the golf course.
MacIntyre, 28, well and truly announced himself on the world scene with his epic performance at the 2023 Ryder Cup where he went unbeaten taking 2.5 points from a possible 3 as Europe ran out five-point victors at Marco Simone G&CC in Rome.
Fuelled with good vibes heading into his first full season on the PGA Tour having earned his card via the DP World Tour Rankings, the left-handed Scot overcame a troubling start to win twice on the season.
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After admitting to feeling lonely and less loved on the PGA Tour than he was on the DP World Tour in the early stages of the season, MacIntyre put all that to one side in June to capture his maiden PGA Tour title with his father Dougie on the bag at the RBC Canadian Open.
It was an emotional moment for both father and son, and he was also joined by his girlfriend Shannon.
Then ome five weeks later, MacIntyre landed his biggest title to date on home soil at the Genesis Scottish Open, a co-sanctioned event on the PGA Tour and DP World Tour.
MacIntyre is now well and truly living his childhood dream as one of the best players in the world.
“It’s been a great year,” MacIntyre reflected in front of reporters ahead of this week’s season-ending DP World Tour Championship in Dubai.
“From this time last year, there’s been some lows but probably some better lies than obviously lower lows. It’s been a hell of a year. I probably couldn’t have scripted what’s happened to be honest, from obviously the Ryder Cup, and the Ryder Cup till now has been an absolute roller coaster.
“I’ve dreamed of having a season like this but is the reality going to happen, you never really think it will happen. But it’s been probably the fairy tale situations in pretty much a year. It’s been a hell of a time.”
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MacIntyre admits he has learned so much more about himself on the golf course over the past 18 months.
The Scot used to get very down on himself and while he still has some way to go, he is learning to just accept the good with the bad.
Even if he ruffled feathers at St Andrews.
“Most weeks when I come to a golf course I’ve been before, it’s amazing how a year can make you feel,” he said.
“There’s some holes on certain golf courses I pitch up and I go, how bad of a hole is this, and an hour ago, what was I worrying about there. Like that shouldn’t be a worry.
“That just comes from experience and maturity and how you take the good with the bad and previous experiences. You just learn from that.
“I think that’s something I’ve done well over the last kind of year to year and a half is I always try and learn from the mistakes. If I’m uncomfortable, why was that. If the game wasn’t good there, then why was it.
“Yeah, you’ll still be uncomfortable over certain shots, certain holes, but overall, we’re far better than we were last year.”
MacIntyre ruffled feathers at St Andrews
MacIntyre irked a number of golf fans last month when he said the famous 17th hole on the Old Course at St Andrews should be ‘blown up’.
England’s Eddie Pepperell reently questioned whether MacIntyre has become more whiney since tasting success on the PGA Tour.
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