THE 152ND OPEN

July 20, 2024

Robert MacIntyre

Mixed Zone

Q. Just the bogey at 10 stalled you a wee bit?

ROBERT MacINTYRE: It did a bit. I felt I still played all right at that spell, but it was -- two bogeys there 10 and 11, acceptable. It's when we turned at kind of 12, 13, 14, it just felt we played 16 holes straight into the wind today.

Q. You're been out there fighting and in contention. Have you struggled to get your juices flowing?

ROBERT MacINTYRE: No, when I started I knew kind of -- well, I thought front nine is playing a bit easier but still not -- there's still no gimmes because it was still into the wind. You were still leaving yourself 140, 150, 160 into the greens because you're staying short of the bunkers, but now it's a different story. I see there's boys lights out. I'm guessing they're shelling driver on the first six holes. You hit one decent drive and it becomes a chip on to the green or you drive the green.

No, it was difficult when you switched back. The front nine you think I've still got a few chances but it's still not gimmes and then you turn back into the wind and the wind switches and it makes it even harder.

Q. Talk us through the second shot on 18.

ROBERT MacINTYRE: Yeah, I got a good bit of luck. Missed the bunker and 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 and just put a swing on it. As long as I hit the club face it was going to be all right.

Q. When is the last time you hit a right-handed shot as a professional?

ROBERT MacINTYRE: I would have done one probably recently, but full swipe at it, I've not done one, I don't think, in my life.

Q. It must be hard just coming off the golf course, but overall the three days, is it frustration? What's the main thing you're feeling now?

ROBERT MacINTYRE: It's links golf. Look, I see stats, I see things that are going on. Links golf has played a big part in a lot of people's week. It's made it difficult to be competing. But that's part of it.

Q. You must appreciate the support out there.

ROBERT MacINTYRE: It's been unbelievable. Again, the support since 2019 has been great, but last week was superb, and then coming here, I've never had a following for 18 holes like I had today. It's just every step I took, there was just someone shouting support. Every green I walked on to was incredible. Obviously kind of 16, 17, 18 where they were all gathering, yeah, it's been special.

But I'm just disappointed in my performances.

Q. World Ranking points at stake and all these things, Sunday could still be all right for you?

ROBERT MacINTYRE: Yeah, again, a lot of people have been struggling this week, so yeah, I'm one good round away from a half-decent week. After yesterday's 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.

Q. I know you used to say the Old Course was where you struggled to get to grips with the Open. Is Troon kind of right on your list of Open --

ROBERT MacINTYRE: I think if it's a steady wind, it's a fair test. It's an old-school links course. It's an old-school test. Part and parcel of that, it's nine holes out and nine holes in. I had the same problem when I played the Scottish Am at Royal Aberdeen in the match play. It was get up as much as you can on the front nine where everyone else is struggling and then hang on. It was the opposite.

The thing I struggled with is you've not got anything to hang on to from the start. You're trying to build up the momentum, and it's just -- yeah, it's a difficult golf course for me. Thankfully we've got Portrush next year.

Q. With that wind switch at 16, what was the difference yardage-wise today?

ROBERT MacINTYRE: I hit a 9-iron in there yesterday, and I laid up one 8-iron to a 9-iron for my third that was completely different.

Look, when we started, the front nine was obviously in out of the right, the way it had been all week, but calm. Probably about eight mile an hour, which was nice. Then obviously when you switch, you still think if I've got an eight-mile-an-hour slight tailwind, I'm probably going to smash driver down there. But we get there, it's into the wind, and trying to hit a 3-wood, but if you hit a hot 3-wood it's in the burn. So I just spun it up a little bit up the left there and it's totally fine; just try and give yourself a putt at birdie.