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MacIntyre's quadruple bogey sparks outburst at Augusta
Scottish golfer Robert MacIntyre could face sanctions from Masters organizers after an angry display during his opening round, which included a middle-finger gesture on the 15th hole.
The incident on the 15th
The 29-year-old left-hander, once seen as a potential contender, saw his hopes fade after carding a nine on the par-five hole, resulting in a quadruple bogey. His frustration boiled over when his approach shot landed in the water hazard guarding the front of the green.
After taking a penalty drop, MacIntyre's next shot again found the water. Following a second drop, his ball overshot the green entirely, leading to the obscene gesture directed at the 15th green.
Further outbursts and media silence
MacIntyre's round was marred by additional displays of frustration. On the 17th hole, he reacted angrily to his second shot by slamming his club into the ground. Earlier, he had sworn after a wayward tee shot on the par-three 12th and again after hitting a putt off the green on the par-five 13th, though he managed pars on both holes.
Following his round, MacIntyre declined to speak to the media.
Masters organizers known for strict enforcement
The Masters is renowned for its strict adherence to rules and etiquette. Given MacIntyre's actions, he may face further disciplinary measures from tournament officials.
Recent form and first-round struggles
MacIntyre entered the Masters with strong recent performances, finishing fourth at the Players Championship and leading the third round at last week's Texas Open before ultimately finishing as runner-up to JJ Spaun.
However, his first-round struggles at Augusta were evident early on. He was already three over par before the disastrous 15th hole, ultimately posting an eight-over-par 80 to fall to the bottom of the leaderboard.
McIlroy and Burns share lead after first round
In contrast to MacIntyre's struggles, defending champion Rory McIlroy and American Sam Burns posted five-under-par 67s to share the lead after the first round. McIlroy, who had a busy build-up to the tournament, let his golf do the talking on the course.
