Robert MacIntyre isn’t interested in the “obscene” money being offered by the LIV Golf Tour and plans to continue to enjoy what he has.
The Scot is back on British soil at the Betfred British Masters at the Belfry, an event he feels he could have won last year. But the talk of the steamie remains the opening event of the Saudi-backed rebel tour next month at the Centurion near Hemel Hempstead.
The $25 million on offer there, is “crazy, crazy money”, says MacIntyre. But he’s not interested.
‘I won’t be there’
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“I won’t be there,” he said. “Simple as that, I won’t be there.
“I’m just starting out my career. I’m playing on both sides of the planet, America, DP World. So I’m in a great spot, I’m enjoying my golf, and I’ve just got to get on with it.
“There’s crazy, crazy money getting thrown at it. If you ask me, it’s obscene money to be throwing at sport. There’s only so much money that a human needs.
“For me right now, I’m comfortable. I’ve got a house, a home, my family is healthy. I’ve got a car I can drive.
“I have clothes I can put on and I can still treat myself and my family. What more do I need?
“I’m comfortable in everything that I do in life. I’ve made quite a bit of money on Tour already. I’ve got brilliant sponsors and more importantly I’ve got one of the best teams around me that I could ask for.
“What happens in golf happens in golf. Outside of that, I just go and live my life.”
‘We all use the same toilet!’
MacIntyre admits he still feels a little awkward when, as happened at the Stephen Gallacher Foundation dinner last week, someone bids £12,000 to play with him. Or when he’s playing pro-ams on Wednesday with Scotland and Aston Villa midfielder John McGinn.
“I get when you do well in sport, the recognition that you get,” he said. “I’m out there playing with John, I was nervous today playing with him.
“But when you get talking to him, he is nervous to play with me or play in these events.
“People think you’re something that you’re not. They expect you to be something special. But at the end of the day, we all use the same toilet!”
Last year the Belfry, MacIntyre was well in the mix after 54 holes and felt he should have won, but for taking on the challenge at The Belfry’s famous short par four 10th.
“100%, I feel like it got away from me,” he said. “We pushed at probably the wrong times, that 10th hole, sucked me in a wee bit and we attacked it.
“This year we’ve looked at some stats and the way we used to play holes, and we’ll rein it back. It’s playing a little bit longer, so the scoring is probably not going to be as low.”
Struggles playing with Westwood
abrdn Scottish Open: Robert MacIntyre full of admiration for ‘brilliant’ Lee Westwood on first day at The Renaissance https://t.co/nYLWSFl0Fi pic.twitter.com/LF1yM8wFmA
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The other issue is that he’s been paired with Lee Westwood, and though the pair get on well, the Scot hasn’t made a birdie in three times they’ve been partnered.
“That’s my only goal for the week, to make a birdie,” he laughed. “I’ve got to get used to playing with him. I don’t know what it is. It’s more mental than physical.
“But yeah, I get on well with him. It’s just about going out there and playing golf and hopefully I can get the duck off my back early on and just enjoy myself.”
The one thing that’s troublesome is that Bob needs a solid schedule, and his borderline ranking spot means it’s presently a balancing act.
“This position in the World Ranking has me tossing and turning,” he said. “I’m one good event from all the good Invitationals in the States. I’m trying to plan a schedule but it’s not easy at all.
“I know I’ll take next week off, play PGA, and after that, I mean, it’s back to Oban and back to the drawing board.”