Bad Weather Looms Over Royal Portrush
The ominous weather at Royal Portrush was unmistakable on Friday morning. The air grew heavier, the humidity more oppressive with each passing minute, and soon players were shedding layers, only to hastily retrieve them when the dark clouds unleashed their downpour in the afternoon. This happened just as Bob MacIntyre was finishing his round, signing for a 66—five under par for the day and the championship, leaving him three shots behind the clubhouse leader.
At 28, MacIntyre knows his way around this course. He capitalized on the calmer morning conditions, securing six birdies with only one bogey on the 16th, where his tee shot landed on the slope beside the green.
Playing alongside him was Bryson DeChambeau, whose tournament had already been a rollercoaster. After opening with a disappointing 78, he bounced back with a stellar 65—swinging between his worst and best rounds in the Open on consecutive days. “That’s links golf,” he admitted, baffled by the inconsistency. “I didn’t feel like I played any differently, but today, things just fell into place.”
DeChambeau, known for his analytical approach, had previously joked about preferring a controlled environment—like a 400-meter tunnel with adjustable winds—to prepare. The unpredictable gusts at Portrush frustrated him. “When conditions shift constantly, you have to adapt quickly,” he said. He spent a day practicing under the assumption of a left-to-right wind on the 18th, only to find it blowing the opposite direction during play. Despite the stress, he managed to stay composed. “I’m proud of how I held myself together mentally and didn’t let frustration take over,” he added.
MacIntyre, meanwhile, showed his resilience while muttering quiet curses at missed putts.
The two made an unlikely pairing. DeChambeau, towering and powerfully built, carries himself with precision, his stance appearing almost sculpted between shots. MacIntyre, in contrast, has the unassuming look of someone who might run a local shop—until he swings left-handed with effortless precision, navigating the wind like a seasoned expert.
Having grown up playing these courses near Oban, MacIntyre is at home on the links. His familiarity with Royal Portrush showed, just as it had in his previous strong finishes here.
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