2019 Scottish Open: Bob MacIntyre ‘gutted’ to miss out on closing rounds

NORTH BERWICK, SCOTLAND - JULY 12: Robert Macintyre of Scotland in action at the 13th tee during Day 2 of the Aberdeen Standard Investments Scottish Open at The Renaissance Club on July 12, 2019 in North Berwick, United Kingdom. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)

The 22-year-old from Oban was proud of the way he handled himself playing in the same group as world No.3 Rory McIlroy and 2015 winner Rickie Fowler at The Renaissance Club.

But he blamed “too many mistakes” for failing to make it to the weekend on the East Lothian coast as he missed the cut on four-under-par.

“I’m gutted it’s going to be short,” said MacIntyre after signing for a second-round 70 to add to his opening 68.

“I always thought it was going to have to be five or six under. That was always on my mind. I just made too many stupid mistakes and it has cost me.

“It was my putting that let me down. I was worried at the start of the week with the way I was driving it.

“But I missed too many six and seven foot putts. You can’t do that at this level, it has come back to bite me.”

The left-hander, who is among five Scots in the field for next week’s Open Championship at Royal Portrush, said he’d enjoyed the experience of being in the company of two of the biggest names in the sport.

“At the start of the week, if you had said I would finish four under par after playing two rounds with these two, I would have probably taken it,” he added.

“But, with the way I was playing, I should have made this cut no bother. That is the way golf is, these things happen.

“This was the Scottish Open and a home crowd. I wanted to push on. To miss this cut is going to be a sore one.”

Setting a new 36-hole record for the event, Austrian Bernd Wiesberger, South African Erik Van Rooyen and Englisman Lee Slattery share the lead at the halfway stage on 14-under-par.

Swede Henrik Stenson is lurking ominously on 12-under, with American ace Justin Thomas in a group a further shot back after a 64.

The same second-round score left Kirkcaldy-born Calum Hill as the leading Scot in joint-11th on 10-under, with local man Grant Forrest and Capital-based Richie Ramsay also safely through on seven-under.

“It is tough when scoring is low like this as you can easily miss the cut,” said Forrest after producing a burst of three birdies in five holes on the back nine in his 68.

“You can’t play defensively when you head out knowing the cut is going to be around four or five-under. You have to keep attacking.”

Ramsay added a 70 to his opening 65 and said: “I want a good round tomorrow to be in the mix on Sunday, when it all starts on the back nine.”

Despite a hat-trick of birdies late on, Stephen Gallacher missed out by a shot on four-under, while Chris Doak also made an early exit on two-under.