Bob MacIntyre has warned that he is unlikely to cut out the hot-headed streak that saw him earn a telling-off at the Masters — insisting ‘it’s part of who I am’.
The Oban golfer made headlines for all the wrong reasons at Augusta when he let his frustrations boil over during a first-day nightmare as he struggled towards an ugly round of 80.
The 29-year-old was repeatedly heard swearing, slammed his club into the ground on several occasions, and also aimed a crude middle-fingered salute at a pond as he carded a quadruple-bogey eight on the 15th.
However, despite being on the receiving end of some fierce criticism for his action, MacIntyre insists he will continue to vent on the course in order to keep performing to his highest level.
‘I know that every single week I pick it up, I’m probably going to get caught on a mic saying the odd bad word,’ MacIntyre told the BBC. ‘It’s part of who I am.
‘I try, I probably should limit it or I should try and maybe wait a couple of seconds longer before I do have my outburst. But for me to try to compete at the top level, I need to get my frustration out or else it’s going to affect my performance.
MacIntyre says he will continue to show his emotions on the golf course despite criticism
‘I know that what I do sometimes is wrong, but I do try and limit it and keep it in as much as I can. But I know myself that the more this boils up and boils up, I’m going to have a bigger outburst.
‘It’s about trying to manage it as best I can. And every now and again, it does boil over. I don’t know what else I can do as me. I wear my heart on my sleeve. The way I was brought up, it’s a fight for everything, and sometimes I get hot. It’s not going to change.’
MacIntyre, who was reprimanded by Augusta National officials for his actions, missed the cut despite following up his opening round with a tidy 71. He bounced back the following week with a first-round 66 at the PGA Tour’s RBC Heritage event at Harbour Town to prove he wouldn’t let the furore affect him, although he slipped back to finish in a tie for 42nd in that event.
The Scot claims he finds it easy to shut out the outside noise as he focuses on trying to maintain his place among the game’s elite, but admitted he largely tries to avoid social media. He said: ‘I still post things, but once I post it, I don’t look.
‘I mean, I’m sure if I looked right now, there’d be some abuse. But whether you’re doing good or bad, it’s the exact same. So what’s the point? You can’t please everyone.
‘The expectation is from myself and the team around me. We expect to be competing at the top end of the world of golf. I feel like I’ve been doing that for the last few years now.
MacIntyre angrily slams his club back into his golf bag as Augusta misery takes hold
‘Yes, the odd week I don’t perform, but at the end of the day, I park that and I look and see the areas of where I need to improve. And I know the areas I need to improve on. So, I mean, hearing it from outside, I don’t need to hear it. I’ve got it from the team within.’
Having become a father for the first time this year — partner Shannon gave birth to a baby boy, Findlay, in January — MacIntyre has his hands full as he tries to improve on his current world ranking of 12 and make a mark in the majors.
He will return to East Lothian’s Renaissance Club in July to defend the Scottish Open title he won last year and is confident he can continue to make a mark in the game’s biggest events.
‘Life’s obviously completely changed,’ he said. ‘There’s different priorities. It’s just trying to find a new balance, that work-life balance.
‘The start to the year I’ve had has been very good, considering everything that’s gone on. And my partner Shannon’s been brilliant with allowing me to still practise hard and kind of take as much of the strain as she can. When I’m at home, life is simply different and it’s been absolutely brilliant.’
