PGA CHAMPIONSHIP

May 19, 2022

Robert MacIntyre

Southern Hills Country Club

Flash Quotes

Q. Tell us about your round today. What was the most difficult part and what went well?

ROBERT MACINTYRE: Yeah, obviously we got nice weather to start with, not much wind, and I took advantage. Hit a nice second shot into my 10th, my first hole, the 10th. Managed to make a good putt, and yeah, just got it rolling from there.

I didn't really miss a shot on the front nine. Easy going. I probably should have been a couple more under.

Then on the back nine it was a lot tougher on the front nine, it's a lot tougher nine, a lot longer holes, a lot more crosswinds. But overall level par we'll take it.

Q. Looking at the leaderboards early it looked like 4-under and then everything changed. It's not going to be that easy.

ROBERT MACINTYRE: No, no, you see Rory there, he looks like he may get a couple, but the course is going to get you at some point. It's not easy. If you miss in the wrong spot, miss in the wrong bunker -- normally when you hit it in the bunker you think I've got a chance of getting up-and-down.

Out here you don't know how it's going to come out with the kind of stoney bunkers. But no, they're a little bit punishing, but no, great golf course.

Q. You're in pretty decent shape. Are you pleased you started pretty well today?

ROBERT MACINTYRE: Yeah, just hit a couple of loose 2-irons the last two holes, which is a bit disappointing, but overall my game is right there, which is nice to see. A bit disappointing not to come off under par, but I holed a nice one on my last to hang on to level par, which is a bonus.

Q. Do you enjoy playing in the majors?

ROBERT MACINTYRE: It's massive. I feel like you get rewarded more if you hit good golf shots. If you hit a bad one you're going to get punished. You just try not to make more than a bogey out there.

Everyone is going to drop shots. That's my main thing is in my head I can accept when I drop a shot in a major because everyone else is doing it, versus when you've got to shoot 25-under par to win a golf tournament; there's not many dropped shots that the top guys are going to do.

Q. I think you said it's a tougher test --

ROBERT MACINTYRE: Yeah, exactly that. Out there is absolutely brutal. If you're not striking your ball the way you want to strike it and having the right shot shapes, you're not going to do well. It's as simple as that.

It's blowing a lot of crosswinds, and it's a big ol' tough golf course.