Why Robert MacIntyre Needs to ‘Smash Something Up’ Sometimes

Most of the time, MacIntyre is an affable Scot. But when things go awry on the golf course, he lets out his dark side.

Robert MacIntyre gave some insight into his dark side on Tuesday at the British Open. / Bill Streicher-Imagn Images

Beware of Robert MacIntyre.

Most of the time, he’s an affable Scot. And that was evident at the U.S. Open. When J.J. Spaun holed a 64-footer to avoid a playoff with MacIntyre and win the U.S. Open, MacIntyre applauded Spaun’s heroics on television, exclaiming, “Wow.”

But he has a dark side. 

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“I’m fiery on the golf course when I’m in tournament rounds,” MacIntyre said Tuesday ahead of the British Open. “I’ll drop, I was going to say the odd, but a few bad words in there. I’ll hit the bag. I’ll say some harsh things, but that’s what gets me going. If I walk around and I’m all happy I just made a double bogey or people are clapping, thanks very much, that’s not me.”

So, what is his true self?

“I’m needing to smash something up,” the 28-year-old, two-time PGA Tour winner said. “I want to rip a glove. I do something to get that anger out. It’s better out than in for me. Some people it’s better holding it, but for me it’s get it out and then just do not let it affect the next shot. Simple.”

And when MacIntyre plays a poor round, just give him some space.

“I can do whatever I want for an hour,” he said. “Just anything I want. You can break things. You can literally do whatever I want for an hour. After that hour is gone, my job’s done.”

Luckily for those in MacIntyre’s inner circle, they don’t have to avoid him for long, because eventually, cooler heads prevail. But in golf, there are more losses than wins. 

“If you have a bad day at work, you’re going to be annoyed,” the world No. 14 said. “It happens more often than not for me as well.”

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