Robert MacIntyre’s run at the BMW PGA Championship was cut short due to a lesser-known rule, leading to an early exit for the Ryder Cup star. This week saw all 12 Team Europe players and captain Luke Donald descend on Wentworth for one final warm-up event before facing off against Team USA at Bethpage Black Course in Farmingdale, New York.
MacIntyre, who wanted to “smash his clubs” after missing out on a $3.6 million top prize at the 2025 BMW Championship, was among the 86 players who made it past the regular cut through 36 holes, with 26 tied at two-under-par. However, due to the large number of players still in the game, the BMW PGA Championship Tournament Director decided to implement a secondary cut after the third round.
Per the DP World Tour rule book, if more than 84 players advance to the final round, the field can be reduced a second time to 78 players on Sunday. Consequently, MacIntyre, who was at 2-under, found himself among the unlucky 13 competitors – including Alex Fitzpatrick and Niklas Norgaard – who missed the additional cut.
Despite the setback, MacIntyre still earned ranking points in the Race To Dubai and prize money for participating in the BMW PGA Championship.
Before his abrupt exit, MacIntyre, known for wearing his heart on his sleeve, had several heated moments on the course.
On Friday, the 29-year-old’s frustrations were on full display as his ball got lodged in a tree on the 13th hole, followed by him discarding his club onto the turf at No. 17. The next day, his temper flared again when he aggressively grounded his driver after a disappointing tee shot on the sixth.
2002 Ryder Cup captain Sam Torrance offered a blunt assessment during his commentary of MacIntyre’s antics, “He got away with one there,” referring to MacIntyre’s actions.
“He made a bit of a mess on the tee. You almost have to see yourself on television doing something like that to see how silly it looks. Oh well, each to their own. He’s very fiery, a great competitor.”
Despite the outbursts, MacIntyre showed a softer side, handing over his ball to a young spectator at the 16th tee box. Reflecting on the gesture, he remarked, “I was a kid one day asking for a golf ball when someone was walking off.
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“It’s nice. You get potentially a fan for life, and who knows, that person could go on and do something in the game of golf, and it can be from someone giving something to them.
“That’s what I want to do, I want to give back,” he added. “Look, I go absolutely mental on the golf course. I accept that, I accept everything that comes with it.
“I get people don’t like it, but look, on the outside, I’m a very chilled guy and I’d like to think I’m thoughtful and pretty cheery when I’m away from this place.”
