Robert MacIntyre Opens Up About Crowd Abuse at Ryder Cup: "It Was Difficult"
via Usta
260409 Robert MacIntyre of Scotland during the first round of the 2026 Masters Golf Tournament on April 9, 2026 in Augusta. Photo: Petter Arvidson / BILDBYRAN / kod PA / PA1193 golf masters bbeng the masters augusta *** 260409 Robert MacIntyre of Scotland during the first round of the 2026 Masters Golf Tournament on April 9, 2026 in Augusta Photo Petter Arvidson BILDBYRAN kod PA PA1193 golf masters bbeng the masters augusta PUBLICATIONxNOTxINxSWExNORxFINxDEN Copyright: PETTERxARVIDSON BB260409PA310
Robert MacIntyre’s Ryder Cup week at Bethpage Black was defined by moments he’d rather forget.
The Scot contributed 1.5 points in Europe’s 15‑13 win over the United States, but admitted the crowd abuse he faced affected his game, particularly on Friday.
The 29‑year‑old spoke to GOLF in an interview published July 4, 2026, reflecting on his second Ryder Cup appearance.
“Yeah, it was difficult,” MacIntyre told GOLF as reported by GolfMagic. “There were a lot of personal things getting shouted.”
DP World Tour Championship Robert MacIntyre SCO on the 18th green during the final round of the DP World Tour Championship, Jumeirah Golf Estates, Earth Course,, Dubai, Dubai, United Arab Emirates. 16/11/2025. Picture Fran Caffrey / Golffile.ie All photo usage must carry mandatory copyright credit Golffile Fran Caffrey Copyright: xFranxCaffreyx *EDI*
DP World Tour Championship Robert MacIntyre SCO on the 18th green during the final round of the DP World Tour Championship, Jumeirah Golf Estates, Earth Course,, Dubai, Dubai, United Arab Emirates. 16/11/2025. Picture Fran Caffrey / Golffile.ie All photo usage must carry mandatory copyright credit Golffile Fran Caffrey Copyright: xFranxCaffreyx *EDI*
Looking back on his week, MacIntyre admitted Friday was the toughest day mentally. He said he let the pressure affect him but relied on past lessons to recover on Saturday.
MacIntyre and Viktor Hovland lost their opening foursomes match to Xander Schauffele and Patrick Cantlay. They bounced back the following day with a win over Scottie Scheffler and Russell Henley.
Sunday proved the most stressful. Europe entered the singles seven points ahead, but the United States won three of the first four matches.
"I mean, I thought the world was ending on Sunday," he said. "I won't lie. I thought we were going to lose the Ryder Cup, because it was just everything that could go wrong was going wrong. Every game that went up 18 went the wrong way."
He explained that Hovland’s injury altered the singles lineup, making every point more important. Teammates reminded him that even a halved match could make the difference.
Robert MacIntyre's Role in Europe's Comeback
Europe ultimately retained the cup thanks to Ludvig Aberg’s vital point against Cantlay and crucial halves from Shane Lowry, Tyrrell Hatton, and MacIntyre.
Masters champion Rory McIlroy was the primary target of the crowd throughout the week, though MacIntyre acknowledged he received his share too.
The most documented incident occurred on the 17th tee during Friday's foursomes. As MacIntyre stood over his shot, a spectator shouted an expletive insult, forcing him to step away from the ball.
Earlier that same day, he had been told to "do some cardio" and asked whether he had "ever been for a run" before his first tee shot of the week.
What do you think about Robert MacIntyre's account of the Ryder Cup crowd abuse? Let us know in the comments!
Written by
Sneha Abraham
Edited by
Koushik Biswas