Scottie Scheffler’s commanding victory at Royal Portrush left Robert MacIntyre grappling with frustration and reflection after falling short in his own bid for Open glory.
The 27-year-old Scot, who had entered the weekend firmly in contention, cut a visibly dejected figure in the final round as Scheffler pulled clear of the field. MacIntyre’s emotions boiled over during a tough stretch on Saturday, most notably at the treacherous 14th hole where he slammed a club into his bag in anger and later admitted to “losing the plot.”
“I feel like we made the wrong decision off the tee,” MacIntyre admitted post-round. “It’s one of those moments you just want back. I hit it over the top from the bunker and by then the anger had taken over. I let it get to me and that’s on me.”
The Oban native had harboured genuine hopes of lifting the Claret Jug after an impressive opening two days, but he confessed to being “almost in tears” on Friday evening upon realising he’d slipped five shots off the pace.
“Watching Scheffler play the way he did – it was relentless,” MacIntyre said. “Fair play to him. He didn’t give anyone a sniff and that’s why he’s the best in the world right now.”
While the disappointment was clear, MacIntyre struck a defiant tone about bouncing back from the setback:
“I’ll learn from this. It’s hard to take but I’ll keep putting myself in these positions until one day it’s my name on that trophy.”
For now, he’ll turn his attention to the upcoming FedEx Cup events, with renewed determination to prove he can contend – and win – on golf’s biggest stages.
