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As the Masters unfolded, many golfers felt a pang of empathy watching Robert MacIntyre’s struggle on the notorious 15th hole on Thursday.
Ranked as the world’s No. 8, MacIntyre faced a challenging moment when his ball found the water hazard twice on Augusta National’s 15th hole during the tournament’s opening round. Frustration got the better of him, leading to a candid moment caught on camera as he gestured his displeasure with a middle finger aimed at his misbehaving ball.
This unfortunate turn led to a quadruple-bogey nine on the 15th, marking a rough start for MacIntyre at the Masters.
By the end of the day, he recorded an 8-over-par 80, placing him tied for 82nd.
His frustration was building even before this incident. As reported by the Telegraph, MacIntyre’s temper flared on the 12th hole after an unsatisfactory tee shot, audibly expressing his exasperation with, “It’s now going left to right, Jesus f–k!”
When MacIntyre putted off the green on 13, he yelled, “F—– w—–.”
Cameras also caught him slamming his golf club on the fairway on the 17th hole.
The outbursts could earn MacIntyre a reprimand from the famously strict Augusta National officials, who prefer to issue “severe warnings” rather than fines, according to the Telegraph.
MacIntyre is known to have a bit of a fiery personality and last week during the Valero Texas Open, a mic picked up his saying his shot was “f–king s–t.”
Addressing the instance this week before the start of the Masters, MacIntyre told The Scotsman that he knows that he’s “volatile, and I know the bad language and stuff, but that’s just me.”
“I am trying to do my best out on the golf course,” he said. “I’m a sportsman and it is live sport. I’m going to react the way I want to react. I’m not going to change how I react because there is someone standing there or elsewhere. I am trying to do the best that I can and I will take my time after to go and sign autographs with kids and what not, but, when I am playing golf I am red-lining.”
The first day of the Masters ended with Rory McIlroy, the defending tournament champion, opening with a 5-under par 67 and a share of the lead with Sam Burns.