OMEGA DUBAI DESERT CLASSIC

January 28, 2021

Robert MacIntyre

Emirates Golf Club

Quick Quotes

Q A round of 67, a couple guys having a tremendous round of golf, but all in all the scoring is leaning in favour of the early starters and feels like a bit of breeze picked up. What difference does that make to this golf course in particular?

ROBERT MacINTYRE: It really depends on what direction. There's a lot of holes that the new tee boxes are brutal, especially this kind of wind. The 16th hole which I played into the wind was just -- you miss the drive, you can't get to the green. Simple as that.

Overall it was pretty easy -- well, easier than what I expected. I expected to have wind in the afternoon and didn't get up until about the 12th or 13th hole, so it was quite nice.

Q You said to Tim on the golf course, "straight in, brand new driver." For folks at home can relate to this, because when they go and try a brand new piece of kit, they really want to like it before they have even hit it. The first one's perfect, straight in. So to them, that's what "straight in" means. They might want to know, at your level, what straight in means. How many balls does this involve? How much time until you make the big decision?

ROBERT MacINTYRE: Took me about four days, five days, right before Abu Dhabi there. I thought it was perfect. Played golf, wasn't quite perfect; a little tweak at Abu Dhabi and then now it is perfect.

Q It's always nice when you can get the equipment working how you want and nice to be doing it at a time when it crucial as well as the big picture, something I know you would like to achieve, play in The Ryder Cup. Last two weeks, you've had quite good groups being with the captain and the vice captain. How much do you pay attention to that and do you embrace that feeling? Quite clearly they are keeping an eye on you and monitoring you. Do you embrace it or do you try not to think -- too much attention?

ROBERT MacINTYRE: Try not to think about it. Robert was really good today. I met him in the lift yesterday and he said, "Oh, we're keeping an eye on you."

But at the end of the day they are playing partners. They are selecting teams, fair enough, but I have to make sure if I'm on that team, there's no picks happening. I'm just focused on my golf and attacking pins and holing putts.