‘Blow it up’: Scottish pro goes off on St. Andrews’ most famous hole

Robert MacIntyre may hold the honor of Scotland’s favorite golfing son right now, but that status may have taken a hit this week.

The 28-year-old from Oban had a breakout rookie season on the PGA Tour, winning the RBC Canadian Open and later becoming the first Scot to win his national open since 1999.

MacIntyre was back in his homeland this week for the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship on the DP World Tour, played at Scotland’s most famous course, the Old Course at St. Andrews.

But, after his final-round 70 Sunday, MacIntyre had had enough of the Old Course’s most famous hole.

“Blow it up,” MacIntyre told The Scotsman of St. Andrews’ famous “Road Hole” par-4 17th. “I don’t think there are many worse holes in world golf.

“I think it’s a terrible hole off the back tee. It doesn’t need to be modernized, to bring excitement it needs to be a hole you are able to hit a golf shot into and not one where you just hit it onto the green and try to get up and down.”

The “Road Hole,” which was lengthened to 495 yards before the 2010 Open Championship and requires a blind tee shot over parts of the Old Course hotel, played as the toughest hole by far this week at the Dunhill. Across all four rounds (which saw the entire field play it at least once), it averaged 4.57 strokes and gave up just seven birdies, none of which came in the final round.

By contrast, he next toughest hole this week, the 18th hole at early-round co-host Carnoustie, played nearly three-tenths of a shot easier at 4.31.

MacIntyre, who missed the green left both times he played the hole this week, made double Saturday after playing his third shot into the road hole bunker. He made bogey Sunday after hitting his second nearly on the 18th tee and missing a 15-footer.

“It almost plays like a par 5,” MacIntyre continued to The Scotsman. “They try to do things to this golf course that don’t need to be done. Today I rifled a drive off the tee and then a 4-iron and I was the furthest up the hole.”

His 70 in Round 4 got him to 14 under for the week which was good for a tie for 25th. Tyrrell Hatton won the event for the third time in his career after a course-record-tying 61 on Saturday. It was Hatton’s first DP World Tour win since he signed with LIV Golf earlier this season.

Jack Hirsh

Golf.com Editor

Jack Hirsh is an assistant editor at GOLF. A Pennsylvania native, Jack is a 2020 graduate of Penn State University, earning degrees in broadcast journalism and political science. He was captain of his high school golf team and recently returned to the program to serve as head coach. Jack also still *tries* to remain competitive in local amateurs. Before joining GOLF, Jack spent two years working at a TV station in Bend, Oregon, primarily as a Multimedia Journalist/reporter, but also producing, anchoring and even presenting the weather. He can be reached at jack.hirsh@golf.com.