THE 150TH OPEN

July 14, 2022

Robert MacIntyre

Mixed Zone

Q. Talk about your opening round here at the 150th.

ROBERT MACINTYRE: If someone had given me 2-under par before I had started I would have taken it for sure. The obvious is a few mistakes, a couple of three-putts. Overall, 2-under par is not a bad start.

Q. Blistering start you birdied some holes that others weren't, but then dropped shots on holes that people were birdieing?

ROBERT MACINTYRE: I'm left-handed. They're right-handed. There's wind directions that suit me. There's wind directions that suit them. The back nine is tough for me. Simple as that, was off your right-hand side, as tough for a right-hander going out, off to the left.

So I knew where I could take my chances. I feel like I committed to the game plan very well. There's only one hole we really don't have a plan on, and that's 13. And the result shows you.

Q. (No microphone.)

ROBERT MACINTYRE: I did. At the end of the day you can't do nothing about it. You've done it. I need to work up a plan on how to play that hole. And it's the only hole on the golf course that I don't know how you hit the fairway.

To create an angle to that pin you've got to hit it left, but the wind's going. It's an absolute nightmare of a hole. But overall 2-under par, but birdied the last, bogeyed the 17th and birdied the last. I'll take the positives.

Q. The line you took on 18, to come up on the right-hand side, was that the plan?

ROBERT MACINTYRE: It wasn't the plan at all. Mike was worried when it took off. I was worried when it took off. But you're smashing it. It's a 3-wood. I'm struggling to get there with 3-wood. You're hoping for the right bounce. I've got to admit, I probably pulled it slightly. The sweat was coming on. You get rewarded for good shots. And that was one of them.

Q. You're in the zone when you're going around there could you feel the love in the stands and the galleries, your home course?

ROBERT MACINTYRE: Yes, absolutely brilliant there. I said it to Mike a couple of times, how cool is this. This is what it's about. Every tee I walked on I was getting clapped on and every green I walked on I was getting applauded. And coming in there, 14, 15, 16, 17, even 18 it was, that was brilliant. It's what I dreamed of as a kid, and I've got to live the dream.

Q. Could you feed of that as you head into the weekend, round 2, round 3, round 4?

ROBERT MACINTYRE: There's a long way to go before I even start thinking about round 2. I've got all afternoon to do things I need to do. I'll work on a few things but overall go relax, go spend time with the family and just chill out.

Q. With Cam as your playing partner shooting a low score as well, did you feed off that as well?

ROBERT MACINTYRE: It was early on. We started on some putts, some nice putts. He was doing that. And it drags you on. Doesn't matter what golf tournament you're playing in. You're feeding off each other. And then all of us started playing well.

And it helps when you're seeing good shots and you don't start things where they're bad. I hit one bad shot in that wind direction, and I'm starting to think about some of the trouble that's out there for a left hander in that wind direction. It's not pretty coming in.

Q. (Indiscernible). Get in trouble and you're coming left off the tee? (Indiscernible).

ROBERT MACINTYRE: I'd rather miss it left than right. If you miss it right, you're reloading. You're always on caution. I can't stand up there and start a golf ball out of bounds because, if I hit it perfect and it doesn't move, then you're going to go mental.

But I've been working a couple of shots that -- it's hard to trust under pressure. As much as it's the first round you're thinking of I'll crews around here. There's a lot of pressure on you that there's so much going on that you're just trying to find the golf ball. You just gotta keep it in play, and if it's in play and I've got swing, I've got a shot.

And that's the way I kind of take the back nine. It's just so difficult with that wind off the right.

Q. What was the 1st tee like? Was it quiet where you are?

ROBERT MACINTYRE: It was good. You can hear the crowd from the stand in front right. I had goosebumps walking over the bridge this morning. It was something again I've dreamed of. It's somewhere I've always wanted to play an Open Championship and I've got to do it.

Q. (No microphone.)

ROBERT MACINTYRE: Yes, 2-under par is 2-under par. It doesn't matter, the way I'm playing. It's The Open Championship, first round. And you've shot 2-under par, it's a good score.

Q. Can you go over (indiscernible) for tomorrow, or do you have to continue to be patient?

ROBERT MACINTYRE: I think that's why I've played so well in majors is because you can't -- this place is getting firmer and firmer. I had some putts today that I thought, wow, that's glass. And you just gotta play in the spots, be cautious and use the wind. I was trying to use the wind -- even coming in, I'm thinking if I can get far enough left, I can create some sort of wind that I can hole the ball into.

But it's just difficult. Cameron was just absolutely brilliant. He holed some putts, but overall he hardly missed a shot.