‘VOLATILE’ MACINTYRE LEFT HOPING FOR A RENAISSANCE

The dent in the water bottle told the story.

Oban’s Robert MacIntyre desperately wants progress back to his best form heading into the 150th Open, but he missed the cut at the Genesis Scottish Open.

It’s not necessarily all bad. MacIntyre missed the cut at The Renaissance three years ago and went on to make a breakthrough in his first major, the 2019 Open at Royal Portrush.

But the mood here does seem very different. And he knows, from just looking at who he was playing with yesterday, what part of the solution might be.

As MacIntyre shot 72 for a five-over finish – the same as such luminaries as Open champion Collin Morikawa, his old mate Will Zalatoris and Billy Horschel – playing partner Xander Schauffele had a five-under 65.

“He (Schauffele) is brilliant,” said MacIntyre.

“Me, Mike (Thomson his caddie), Min Woo Lee and his caddie were talking about it yesterday. Nothing fazes him, whether it’s good or bad.

“But when I miss a putt, I put a dent in my water bottle, so it fazes me. I think that’s the difference with the top boys – whether it’s a good day or a bad day, they are just the same.

“For me just now – in fact, the last year and a half since coming out of Covid – I’ve been a bit volatile.”

He’s not one for psychologists, though.

“I’ve not thought about seeing anyone about it, not at all,” he said. “It comes and goes.

“Once you start seeing a trend of good golf, you start believing in yourself again.

“But just now I feel I’m getting beat up all the time. But even if my worst season on tour is this year, then I’m sure I’m still in for a decent year.”

Wearing your heart on your sleeve can be appealing, but it can also weigh you down.

“I think you can see it in my face,” he continued. “It’s disappointing how the week’s gone.

“But I’ve been in this situation plenty of times. I hate missing cuts. I missed this one a couple of years ago and this time is no different.

“It’s just disappointing to miss it at home. But, at the end of the day, it’s just another golf tournament, we just hyped up this one a little bit more due to it being my home event.”