MacIntyre ready for Ryder Cup taunts as he embraces loud atmosphere in New York
Scottish No. 9 says familiarity with team and experience on PGA Tour have him relaxed ahead of second Ryder Cup appearance
Robert MacIntyre said he is untroubled by the prospect of taunts from United States fans at this month’s Ryder Cup in New York, insisting he is now more comfortable with the pressures that come with the event.
The 29-year-old from Oban, playing in his second Ryder Cup, said he expected the atmosphere to be “loud” and “entertaining” but that he and his teammates would relish the challenge. “I'll probably be getting abuse from my 12, 13 mates that are out there and all, so no, it's going to be fun,” MacIntyre said. “For me, going into this one, I feel far more comfortable. I feel far more comfortable in the people, in the team, the players, the staff. I know them far better.”
MacIntyre has faced jeers from US crowds while competing on the PGA Tour and previously drew attention after an exchange with American spectators at the Valspar Championship in Florida, when he labelled his caddie's bib with Europe's Ryder Cup-winning score. He said those experiences have taught him how to cope when abuse comes his way and that he was looking forward to trying to help Europe retain the trophy.
The Scottish golfer pointed to increased familiarity with the European setup and a growing confidence in his own game as reasons for his calm. “I just can't wait to get there and give it our best and try to keep that Ryder Cup in Europe,” he said. “I feel like I'm excited to be here. When you can be excited to play (...) it's a massive help because you're not scared to do the graft.”
MacIntyre has risen steadily in world golf over the past few seasons, winning twice last year, including the Scottish Open at The Renaissance Club, and registering six top-10 finishes on the PGA Tour this season. He began the year ranked 14th in the world and has moved to ninth, becoming the first Scot to reach the top 10 since Colin Montgomerie in 2005.
Reflecting on his season, MacIntyre said he had seen marked improvement but that there was still work to do. “It has been a great year,” he said. “The only thing I've not done is win. I've done a lot of things this year, I feel I've progressed massively in the game of golf. One of my main goals this year was to really compete in a major. I feel I competed in three of them till almost the end.”
He said his performances in the majors had been encouraging, noting that the PGA Championship slipped away after two rounds, the US Open had been a close call and he remained in contention at The Open. MacIntyre added that maintaining a balance between golf and life off the course had helped his progress this season.
MacIntyre spoke to reporters at Wentworth ahead of the BMW PGA Championship as he prepared for the Ryder Cup. Europe will seek to defend the trophy on US soil, while MacIntyre and his teammates aim to use their experience and cohesion to withstand both the partisan crowd and the pressure of match play.