Top Scot Robert MacIntyre produced another ‘colourful’ both word and actions display to be well in contention following the opening round of the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship.
MacIntyre, 28, grabbed nine birdies in the very hot meltdown conditions to post a seven-under 65 on the host Yas Links course in the UAE capital.
It has the World No. 16 sharing eighth place and just three adrift of England’s and his playing partner Tommy Fleegtwood who heads the elite 70-player and $9m event at 10-under and in the process equalling the course record.
MacIntyre’s effort is easily his lowest score by four shots in 15 rounds of the event since his debut in 2019 and also best round by a similar number in now seven loops of the Kyle Phillips designed Yas Links layout that first hosted the event in 2022.
BANKS @robert1lefty HIS LOWEST @ADGolfChamps ROUND OF A 6⃣5⃣ ️♀️
Top effort best by 4⃣ shots in 1⃣5⃣ loops & in both a ‘colourful’ action & word effort around @YasLinksGC #RolexSeries
Read: https://t.co/sLZacEsDT3
SKY
✅ @TOURMISS @Record_Sport (Bernie) pic.twitter.com/89u7gSpYz8
— Golf & Science News (@TOURMISS) November 7, 2024
The Oban lefty said: “It was good. Started nicely. Just kept building on it. A couple of silly mistakes but you’re going to have them. You’re going to have a lapse of concentration now and again but overall a great day’s work”.
The pick of MacIntyre’s birdies, and for all the right and bad reasons, was at the par-4 12th hole where he launched a massive 343-yard tee shot down to the right side of the fairway and leaving him just 129-yards to the pin.
But in hitting a wedge second shot that landed 16-feet right of the pin, MacIntyre let out a very audible: “Fuck! I do that all the time playing this hole”.
However and for a second time in his two events he had SKY Sports quickly apologising for his clearly-heard use of the F-word and this following MacIntyre’s similar use of the F word during his last event, the Dunhill Links Championship in Scotland.
Though it also the nature in the ancient club-and-ball game that MacIntyre walked off the green with a smile as wide the entrance to the Firth of Forth in holing the birdie putt.
He said: “The weather is perfect. The conditions of the course are perfect, and it’s literally try and give yourself 18 chances at birdie, and if you do that, you’ll get a couple really close. That’s what we try to do is just piece by piece just keep building”.
Dubai-based Ewan Ferguson is two back of MacIntyre posting a 68 that included seven birdies but also three bogeys.
Fifer Connor Syme signed for a 71, soon father-to-be Grant Forrest a 73 while Callum Hill found himself at the tail of the board in 70th place at three-over.
Both Forrest and Hill are projected to drop three places from their current and respective 57th and 56th Race to Dubai spots and with the leading 60 to contest next week’s season-ending Dubai.
