Robert MacIntyre his 10 off the lead at the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship. (Image: Getty)
star Robert MacIntyre has hit back at controversy over his language after being heard repeatedly swearing during the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship. The Scot, 28, goes into today’s final round tied for 22nd after rounds of 67, 72 and 65 so far.
He’s been playing alongside other Dougie, but also spent the first two days in the same group as current leader Tyrrell Hatton.
During the second round on the Kingsbarns course, it was the Englishman who was overheard describing the greens as “s**t” after Macintyre missed a putt from short range.
But over the three days, MacIntyre has been repeatedly caught out on the microphones and television coverage, with his cursing leaving nothing to the imagination. However, on Saturday night he defended himself amid suggestions his behaviour was setting a bad example.
“Look, it’s live sport,” he told . “It’s the heat of the battle. You wouldn’t put a microphone on a football pitch or on a referee because you are going to hear the bad language.
“I am trying my best to improve it. The other side of it is I’m Scottish. It is part of our vocab. It’s difficult, but I am conscious of it and I am trying my best not to do it too much.”
Tyrrell Hatton and MacIntyre haven’t held back with their language this week. (Image: Getty)
And the 2024 Scottish Open winner instead he wouldn’t be chasing his ways with caddie Mike Burrows. “If the microphone is there and it is catching me speaking to Mike, I’m not going not going to change how I speak to him in a normal conversation just because a microphone is in my face,” he added.
“But I am trying not to react to the shots as much as I have been. I’m trying my hardest to perform as best as I can. I double-bogeyed 18 yesterday, so I am going to be angry. And what am I going to do when I am angry? I’m probably going to swear to myself. It’s not to anybody else – it’s to myself.”
Macintyre is 10 shots off Hatton ahead of today’s final round, with Belgian player Nicolas Colsaerts looking the biggest threat to the player at only one shot back. The final 18 holes will take place at the Old Course at St Andrew’s, with the prospect of a first Scottish since Colin Montgomerie in 2005 looking remote.
Don’t miss…
MacIntyre and co will again have microphones in a bid by broadcasters to make the tournament more appealing to viewers. A number of celebrities have again joined season professionals during the event, including the likes of and James Anderson.
The notion of players being mic’d up during rounds has become increasingly common in the past few years. was among the first to break the mould, wearing AirPods during the 2023 WGC Match Play tournament, and also donned a love microphone during that season’s .