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Bob MacIntyre said his “head was completely gone” as he battled to make the cut on Friday at The Open.

In the end, it was caddie, Mike Burrow, who got him back on the straight and narrow.

MacIntyre, who was 8-over through four holes in his second round before battling back to card a 75 and make the weekend, explained: “I didn’t think I was going to make the weekend, but Mike said, ‘Look, fans are here to watch. Just give them what they want – a severe dig and fight.’ That’s what I done. I just tried my best and managed to turn it around.”

The locals were certainly happy to see MacIntyre play his way into the third round, at least…

And, in balmy conditions on Saturday morning, MacIntyre put on a bit of a show for the home crowd, going out in 2-under 36 before things started to get a bit more wayward after the turn.

But there was no shot more tricky than his second into Royal Troon’s famous par-4 18th.

• PGA Tour star hits record-breaking hole-in-one at The Open

• This grim stat shows just how tough Royal Troon was on Friday

MacIntyre’s drive looked destined to find the second of three bunkers that guard the left-hand side of the fairway, only for it to come to a stop on the edge of the trap.

The problem for left-handed MacIntyre? It meant his next shot would require him to take his stance in the sand.

The 27-year-old had one look at it before deciding he didn’t like what he was seeing, so instead looked at hitting it right-handed with his iron turned inside out…

In the end, he decided on the latter and– well, see for yourself…

Nothing like a good old-fashioned hosel rocket to entertain the watching millions, is there?

But MacIntyre is one of the more creative players out there, so it will come as little surprise to hear he followed it up with a flick of the wedge to two feet and a tap-in for one of the more entertaining pars he’ll ever make.

Easy game, really.


author headshot

Alex Perry is the Associate Editor of bunkered. A journalist for more than 20 years, he has been a golf industry stalwart for the majority of his career and, in a five-year spell at ESPN, covered every sporting event you can think of. He completed his own Grand Slam at the 2023 Masters, having fallen in love with the sport at his hometown club of Okehampton and on the links of nearby Bude & North Cornwall.

Associate Editor

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