It happens to every golfer now and then and for Robert MacIntyre, his frustrations boiled over during a tricky Saturday for the Scot.
MacIntyre was among the favourites to claim Open glory at Royal Portrush heading into the final major of 2025.
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MacIntyre endured a tough round on Sautrday at The OpenCredit: Getty
And after his Friday 66, those claims looked set to come true as the 28-year-old from Oban put himself right in the mix.
But MacIntyre saw his rivals overtake him after a one-under-par 70 on Saturday and he couldn’t hide his disappointment.
The two-time PGA Tour winner was captured launching his club down the 14th fairway after a wayward approach shot.
And his anger continued up at the green as he smashed his own golf bag following a poor bunker shot.
“I think it’s fair game to lose the plot every now and again,” MacIntyre told reporters after his round.
“I feel like we’ve made the wrong decision off the tee on 14, which then made the second shot on 14 really difficult as a left-handed golfer. Obviously, in that bunker, bunker’s dead.
“First job is get out of the bunker, then I hit it over the top. I’ve lost the plot on both of them, after both of them shots, a bit of anger came out.”
MacIntyre did regain his composure to avoid dropping any more shots on his way in and is now in a tie for ninth ahead of Sunday’s final round, eight behind leader Scottie Scheffler.
He added: “When I’m hitting that putt [on 14], I’ve got a clear head, got a job to do, get this thing up-and-down.
“I find it easy just now. I find it easier in the bigger golf tournaments, the ones where birdies aren’t happening all the time, when you can actually feel as though good golf gets rewarded.
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MacIntyre was not happy with his shot on the 14th hole
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And launched his club down the fairway
“The tougher the test, the more I feel I can keep that discipline. The more there’s a birdie fest and a shootout, that’s when I lose it properly.”
MacIntyre also admitted he was close to crying on Friday night after calmer conditions meant his 66 did not put him as high up on the leaderboard as he had hoped.
He said: “When I went home last night when I left here yesterday, I thought: ‘Beautiful, links golf working its magic.’
“I’m sitting on my couch almost in tears because I’m watching flags are limp, guys are spinning it on greens.
“I thought walking away from here last night that I wouldn’t be more than three shots back, ended up five shots back from the best player in the world, and it feels like, yes, you can still be in it if something happens, but you just feel that little bit too far back.
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MacIntyre then played a poor bunker shot on the 14th
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And let his anger out on the bag
“Tomorrow is go out there and finish as high as we can, get as many world ranking and Ryder Cup points as we can.
“Unless I get off to a hot, hot start, it’s (the win) probably out the window. If we don’t get off to a hot start, it’s going to be how high can we finish here. Unless I do have a hot start and I see myself close to the lead and within a few shots, then we’ll throw at it. But seeing the leaderboard, it’s just jockeying for position.”
MacIntyre will get his final round underway at 1:40pm alongside Rasmus Hojgaard as he looks to go low and climb the leaderboard.
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