Robert MacIntyre content with 'decent start' at Scottish Open

Robert MacIntyre said he was content with his start at the Scottish Open and can build on his performance as the competition heats up.

The Scot looked set for something special after three successive birdies but a bogey on the 18th brought him back to two under. MacIntyre birdied the fourth, hit a bogey on the sixth and then birdied the ninth to finish three under for the day.

“I’m happy enough,” he said. “I got off to a really good start and I saw a score out there.

“But it’s links golf and if you’re not in the right spots you can have some difficult pitches and difficult putts.

“Overall I thought it was a decent start.

“The golf tournament doesn’t really start until Sunday. It’s about getting into position and staying in the fight.

“It’s a long way to go and three under par is a decent start if I can keep building. If I can move forward on that then I’ll be there or thereabouts.”

MacIntyre had a keen following on the course, who made their support for the homegrown hero clear but he said it was important to focus on his game and not the surroundings.

“It’s good but I’ve been trying to make a conscious effort to not get too high or too low and just try to keep on an even keel,” he said.

“They’ll cheer when I’m doing well, and get behind me when I’m not doing so well.

“I hear them. It helps me. But I try and focus on myself as much as I can.”

MacIntyre was out with defending champion Rory McIlroy and world number seven Victor Hovland on Thursday morning and he said that the high standard of playing partner was a positive, rather than pressure.

“It was a good group with good scoring,” he said. “It’s nice to see good golf shots and good putts dropping before you play.

“It builds confidence for yourself.

“Even though you’re not hitting them, you’re seeing them going in and it builds confidence and makes life a little bit easier.”