British golf star in hot water and facing punishment after furious behaviour at Masters

Jack Otway
Fri, 10 Apr 2026 11:05:36 +0000

Robert MacIntyre faces the prospect of disciplinary measures from Masters officials following an obscene gesture he made during Thursday's opening round at Augusta National.

The Scottish golfer, aged 29, raised his middle finger towards the 15th green whilst suffering a catastrophic quadruple bogey on the par-five hole.

His nightmare nine on that single hole sent him tumbling down the standings, with the left-hander eventually signing for a dismal round of 80, leaving him eight shots over par.

Tournament organisers at Augusta are renowned for enforcing strict standards of conduct, meaning MacIntyre may face additional consequences for his behaviour.

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MacIntyre's troubles at the 15th began when his approach shot landed in the water hazard protecting the green's front edge.

After dropping under penalty, he proceeded to find the pond once more with his subsequent attempt.

A second penalty drop followed, only for the Scot to then send his ball sailing beyond the putting surface entirely.

The 29-year-old's frustrations were evident throughout his round.

He slammed his club forcefully into the turf following his second shot at the 17th hole.

Earlier, he had sworn audibly after a slightly errant tee shot on the par-three 12th and again after putting his ball off the green at the 13th, though he salvaged pars on both occasions.

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MacIntyre had arrived at Augusta with considerable momentum behind him.

The Scot secured fourth place at the recent Players Championship, prompting some observers to identify him as a genuine title contender.

His form continued at last week's Texas Open, where he held the lead heading into the final round before JJ Spaun overtook him, leaving MacIntyre in second position.

He declined to speak with journalists following his difficult opening round.

At the top of the leaderboard, defending champion Rory McIlroy shares the lead alongside American Sam Burns. Both players carded rounds of 67, finishing five under par.

Reacting to his display on day one, McIlroy said: “I was anxious just like I always am.

"I’m thankful that I felt the same. … I think it would be worrisome if I didn’t feel that way because it definitely still means something to me.

“That’s a good thing. That’s why we want to be here. We want to be able to try to play our best golf when we’re feeling like that.”

He added: “I didn’t hit the ball very well the first seven holes, and sometimes here that would lead me to get tentative and a little guide-y.

“I kept swinging, just trusting that I’m going to find it eventually. So maybe that was a little bit different.”