ALFRED DUNHILL LINKS CHAMPIONSHIP

September 30, 2026

Robert MacIntyre

Press Conference

JAY AGGARWAL: Pleased to be joined by defending champion Bob MacIntyre. Back at the Home of Golf and victory here last year, what memories do you have from that win on home soil.

ROBERT MacINTYRE: Special. Obviously I've not had the best relationship with the Old Course but to finally get across the line here, it was nice, and to do it back on home soil is always extra special. Yeah, it's good to be back and going to go out this afternoon and see the new changes in the Old Course and see what's what, and yeah, make a plan.

Q. Can you talk about the time you spent with the junior golfers --

ROBERT MacINTYRE: Yeah, I went up, must have been about 40 kids, and yeah, for me, junior golf is the most important thing. I was once a junior going through the ranks, playing club stuff, county stuff, national stuff, and it was great to see so many youngsters identity there, just -- it wasn't the best weather. It was cold. It was a wee bit of rain. But no, it was good to see so many of them out there, and to be honest, good to see so many parents there, as well.

But the biggest part was just letting the kids have fun.

Q. The relationship you have with the Old Course -- how much has changed with the mindset, and The Open next year, as well?

ROBERT MacINTYRE: Yeah, I think it's just learning what it takes to play the course. Certain holes you're going to attack, or certain holes, you accept bogey. Just accept certain shots, I'm not going to try to be perfect, and there's so many opportunities if you play well. I know now if I do certain things well, you should play well or score well.

Q. A lot's happened in your life, obviously, this year, away from the course. How important is it -- you're going through things and they are going through things --

ROBERT MacINTYRE: Yeah, look, life is different. I really have to manage my time better. I've not done that well enough probably in the last, probably three, four months. I've been all over the place, I think. Priorities, doing X, Y and Z, performing on the golf course. I've spoken to everyone about it. Certain things put in place going forward.

I speak to Tyrrell and Fitzy quite a bit, but life anywhere, they are probably two of the guys I would speak to the most, especially Tyrrell, away from golf.

So just having that, something more in common, and you are just laughing about stuff. Yeah, now my life has completely changed and priorities have changed but I still want to be the best golfer I can be. The things that I'm doing just now, I'm probably not going to achieve the things I want to achieve.

Yeah, I need to start tweaking things and putting more things in place if I want to achieve what I want to achieve.

Q. Having a family --

ROBERT MacINTYRE: One of the things, it's not so much for me, Tyrrell and Matt, it's probably more partners that there's more things in common now. There's more things that you can chat about, go and do things together with the kids. Of course, they are now all so little, they are probably not doing much but as they grow, you'll almost be able to make pals for the kids when they are on the road again.

So yeah, it's good on that side. Yeah, life's good.

Q. (Inaudible?).

ROBERT MacINTYRE: Expensive.

Q. With The Open next year at the Old Course, does it give you an edge playing here?

ROBERT MacINTYRE: I wouldn't say so. Obviously when The Open was last year last time, how firm and fast it was. You play this week, when you play this course, you play all the courses, there's not much rough, there's not much run. You throw it, at the pin, it will stop, unless the wind gets up.

Just seeing the course and getting comfortable with the changes. I know there's no rough no more on the 16th hole. There's just bunkers in that area.

Yeah, I don't know if it's going to make it easier or harder, I don't know. I'm always going to hit it left on 16 whether there's rough or a bunker. I'm going had a way, anyway. Just allowing me to stop the ball quicker, I don't know. But I'm going to work it out.

Q. Have you had anymore thoughts about going to Abu Dhabi ask Dubai since we spoke to you at Wentworth?

ROBERT MacINTYRE: Yeah, I'm still not in them. If I play well this week, I may have a decision to make but as I sit here now, I'm not even in the golf tournaments. I've not got enough points to be in them, I don't think. If I've got to make a decision, then I'll make a decision. But right now, I'm behind, so I need to catch up.

I had always planned to do my minimums up to here. I know there's a few boys who are chasing their tail a little bit now, but do my minimums and keep my card that way, as well.

ROBERT MacINTYRE: I don't know if it's a bit of hope. Obviously last year, coming from the Ryder Cup, I sat up here literally before the presser, last year, went and practiced and played and played 12 holes -- I know all the courses. I know that this is the only place that's had some serious changes. So yeah, once I see them changes and I know there's a couple of tees been pushed back and bunkers added in. Once I get my eye and knowing where things are, they are the same courses.

These are long, long rounds. It's almost about saving your energy for what's potentially four, 51/2, six hour round. I'm fairly chilled out with that side. Not chilled out with how my golf is.

Q. Being with the kids last night, did this affect you, like in the past --

ROBERT MacINTYRE: No, being that far on the West Coast of Scotland, don't see that many people. Again, I was inspired by these guys, going to The Scottish Open and going to the Scottish Open at Loch Lomond and stuff like that. But I never had opportunity like that. Don't get me wrong, it was only a small -- an hour, 45 minutes, that was it. So it wasn't a large chunk of time. But yeah, as a kid growing up, I never got something like that. The closest I would get would be to Stevie, going through, family, friends, I managed to do stuff at Kingsfield and bump into Stevie there. One of my old coaches coached a few special players. That's the only time I ever met any of them.

For me, the biggest thing is getting juniors into golf. I'm not worried about people going and seeing them, or like myself or any other pro going to see them. As long as these kids are out there playing golf and enjoying it, that's all you can ask for.

Yeah, I think there's a lot of good stuff that Stevie does on this side of the country, and yeah, just try and move that around and hopefully we can start producing more golfers.

Q. The Open will be here next year, but there's talk about Carnoustie coming back, is that something you would like to see?

ROBERT MacINTYRE: That would be brilliant. Proper test of golf. I feel like there's not enough Open Championships in Scotland anymore. It's only coming here. Like I say, here, Carnoustie, Muirfield, I'd love to see them all in it, proper championship test.

Q. Were you disappointed, obviously, to miss the year, your debut, 2019? Does that give you more motivation to play an Open now?

ROBERT MacINTYRE: No, I don't treat golf like that. I don't want to go, what's happened in the past. I'm really looking forward to this week, The Open being here next year, and yeah, I mean, I was lucky in 2019. That was my first one. It was a special one at Portrush. Yeah, I don't look at what's happened in the past much.

Q. Do you have your schedule for the coming weeks?

ROBERT MacINTYRE: Sorry?

Q. Your schedule?

ROBERT MacINTYRE: Yeah, try and get the wee man to sleep during the night. I've not got -- I'll see how I'm sitting after this week. If I've got enough points to play the Middle East, we'll make a decision. Other than that, I'll probably play Tiger's event in the Bahamas just because it's quite a nice place to go and play golf and relax.

But other than that, it will be the start of of the year, the AMEX in January.