THE 153RD OPEN

July 20, 2025

Robert MacIntyre

Mixed Zone

Q. You stayed patient and were rewarded in the end?

ROBERT MacINTYRE: Yeah, I was frustrated early on. The bogey on 4 was stupid. It was sloppy, being to aggressive to a pin that you just could not miss it on one side. Obviously didn't birdie 5, and then I just had to keep saying to myself, just stay patient, there's a good finish there if you can stay calm and just pick up the shots where you can and hope that the putter warms up and putts start going in, and thankfully that's what happened. We had a couple of nice chips. Obviously chipped in one and holed a few nice ones.

Q. You're backing up a big major result with another big major result, what does that mean to you, another step forward?

ROBERT MacINTYRE: Yeah, I know I've got the game. I said it yesterday, I feel like it's a matter of time, if I just keep piecing it all together. This place is statistically a golf course that I should have been sharper. My wedge play was really poor this week.

There's certain holes this week that were vital, and I played them poorly. To really top 10. But to contend was -- just wasn't sharp enough, and then tough holes, that's where the dropped shots came and ultimately cost me a real chance.

After U.S. Open, it was important for me to come back here, and obviously coming from last week I changed my kind of preparation to feel more comfortable in what I was doing, and literally this week I've done everything exact same as I would do in the States. The week before was a bit more kind of hustle and bustle, there was two pro-ams, a lot going on. This week I felt comfortable.

Q. You're in the same position as six years, but yet you've come a hell of a long way in six years?

ROBERT MacINTYRE: Yeah, I'm a far better equipped golfer. I feel like in another week and I piece these things together, likes of the 4th hole, the 14th hole, I know I got one back today, but there was too many dropped shots on them.

These things, one shot, two shots, four shots, they're massive in these tournaments. For me, looking now, it's been a great performance, a good result. But it's another kind of reassurance that I'm in the right place.

Q. Now that it's over, talk about the whole experience; how do you reflect on this week and the support you've had and coming up there just now?

ROBERT MacINTYRE: Yeah, this is my favourite Open venue. To be brutally honest, I love the golf course, love the place. Not far from home as the crow flies. I absolutely love this place. Shame it's not here every year. But no, it's been unbelievable. The support has been brilliant. Again, the golf course is in unbelievable shape.

Q. You said that good golf would take care of the Ryder Cup; it's done that?

ROBERT MacINTYRE: Yeah, I think it has now. I thought after U.S. Open it might be done, but again, I've got four more tournaments or three more before the deadline, but I want to qualify automatically. Three more goals, four more goes and we'll hopefully do that.

Q. You may end up top Europe.

ROBERT MacINTYRE: Again, I was coming out here trying to win the golf tournament. But I knew I was too far back going into today. It was just jockey for position, pick up a couple whenever you can.

Q. Nine months now until the next men's major. It seems like they disappear in the flash of an eye. Do you find that as a player as well that here we are middle of July and it's done and dusted?

ROBERT MacINTYRE: It's quick, especially the PGA TOUR season, I think it's too jammed. But you know me, I'm a small European that goes over there. But I feel like the schedule that I've been playing for the last, I don't know, three months has been absolutely hectic. I feel I've hardly had a break. But that's part of the job. Keep going. When you're playing well, just keep going.

Q. It's another example of doing something early on that's changed the performance. You know now that you can dig it out?

ROBERT MacINTYRE: Well, I know the start was -- was it Valhalla last year? I think I eagled the last and finished top 10. So that was my big learning. I remember somewhere before that I was in with a chance, threw the kitchen sink at it, disaster, and then the next week was there, and it was staying patient. Nothing was happening, stay patient, stay patient, eagle the last, top 10. I go away from it because I'm human and I lose the plot every now and again, and I come back to it, but it is so difficult for me to stay patient, stay calm. I was getting annoyed out there early on through five, six holes. But it was just wait on your run. It will come. Might not come this week, but then go into next week and it's just let it happen. It's easy enough to force it, and when you force it, errors come.

Q. You said you played a lot of golf, but what's happened this week and obviously the qualification points for Bethpage has been good now, does that give you a chance to juggle or take one off? Is there anything you can do?

ROBERT MacINTYRE: You can, but see, when I'm driving it this well, you feel like you can absolutely demolish golf courses when you've got it, when you can shape it, you've got control of it. You feel as though it's just around the corner, a win is around the corner. It's difficult to win, but you feel it when you've got the driver going the way it is. That's why I keep going. But then I run out of energy at some point.

But no, after the Playoffs there will be a little break, Wentworth, we'll piece together the plan for Bethpage.

Q. Obviously now that the majors are done now, what are the goals apart from the Ryder Cup between now and the end of the year?

ROBERT MacINTYRE: I obviously want to win. I want to win. But top 10 in the world, very close to it. So there's a lot of massive things, top 10, FedEx. I just want to improve every year on what I've done.

It might not be visual as in on the FedEx or on the Race to Dubai, but statistically for me last year, me and Mike were talking about it on the golf course, it's not even night and day how much better I am at this game or how much more complete of a player. It's just streaks. It's just allowing that to happen in little pieces. I'm frustrated this week from certain parts of my game, and I'm finishing top 10 in a major and being frustrated with certain parts of my game. Things are good, and I've just got to wait my turn.