Fiery Bob MacIntyre swears he kept a lid on it during Open fight as he reveals players' thoughts on pace of play
Fiery Bob MacIntyre reckons he kept a lid on it to stay in the Open hunt.
The Scottish star ended the opening day four behind the leaders at the 153rd Championship.
MacIntyre was just one off the summit at one stage after a flying start before suffering deep moments of frustration on the back nine at Portrush.
The Oban ace gave a snap-his-club-across-the-knee motion after disgusting himself with a chip at one stage and then slammed a club into the deck on the final hole when crosswinds buffeted down his approach.
Sky TV also had apologise for some bad language at one point, but MacIntyre produced a brilliant two-putt to stay at level par and said: 'I thought I managed to keep a lid on it fairly well.
'There was a couple of swears out there. It's difficult. There's so many cross-winds on this golf course. Got off to the perfect start, didn't I? Three-under early doors, playing beautifully. Then just a couple of awkward tee shots, a couple of awkward approach shots for me.
'Yeah, disappointing finish, but to get out with level par, especially with a two-putt on 18, solid enough. After the start I had, no, you wouldn't take that, but the way I was scrambling late on with the last kind of four holes, I would have probably have taken that. I didn't hole any putts, any wild ones. It was just kind of a bit in the middle of the road.
'When you got off to the start I got off to, one of them ones that you're thinking you should be three, four-under par, you can somewhat chase it. Great par putt on 15 when I've chased a tee shot thinking I can knock it down there and leave myself 60 yards, but I didn't, I missed it in the rough.
'It's one of the ones where for the first time in absolute donkeys, I've changed my rescue in for a three-iron and I actually feel like I needed my rescue a few times off the tee.
'On 18 I'm thinking it's helping. Mike [caddie] is shouting, get down at it because we think it's downwind, but to get out of there with a two-putt was a good one. That's the way it goes. Go out there [Friday] and, hopefully, post a good number.'
MacIntyre also had his say on the pace of play with his round taking just under six hours. He added: 'Aye, I thought six hours in a practice round the other day was a long time. I didn't think six hours in a tournament.
'We couldn't have went any faster. I was speaking there to the guys and they're saying pretty much everybody's five hours, 55. I guess golf courses are too long.'
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