Welcome to GOLF.com’s “Seen & Heard” video series, in which we give you an inside look at golf’s biggest events through the eyes and ears of our onsite crew. On deck this week: the 2024 Genesis Scottish Open at The Renaissance Club in North Berwick, Scotland. Let’s go!
ICYMI: Ryder Cup drama reaches Scotland | Seen & Heard at the Genesis Scottish Open Day 1
After all the drama of Monday’s Ryder Cup announcement, on Wednesday the golf world’s attention turned to the Renaissance Club, where Rory McIlroy is not only the defending champion but he’s also making his first appearance since the U.S. Open.
McIlroy had the lead on the back nine Sunday at Pinehurst only to bogey three out of the final four holes to lose by one to Bryson DeChambeau.
“I think the way I’ve described Pinehurst on Sunday was like it was a great day until it wasn’t,” McIlroy said.
McIlroy took heat for not meeting with the press after his debacle down the stretch. He said Wednesday the media was the least of his concern at the time, but Sean Zak was blown away by how much he was willing to share, three weeks later.
“Today, he had one question and then just talked for, like, three minutes,” Zak said. “Just rattling off every thought that would come from that week.”
McIlroy also addressed criticism of his caddie, Harry Diamond, in the wake of his collapse. Both golf instructor Hank Haney and NBC broadcaster Smylie Kaufman said Diamond could have been more vocal down the stretch at Pinehurst.
“Hank Haney has never been in that position. Smylie has been in that position once,” McIlroy said. “I love Smylie, and he was out there with us on 18, but just because Harry is not as vocal or loud with his words as other caddies, it doesn’t mean that he doesn’t say anything and that he doesn’t do anything. I just wish that, you know, these guys that criticize when things don’t go my way, they never say anything good when things do go my way.”
Someone else who has been vocal about the hard times of professional golf is last year’s runner-up to McIlroy, Robert MacIntyre.
Rory McIlroy forcefully defends ‘unfair’ U.S. Open caddie criticism
MacIntyre is playing his first season on the PGA Tour this year and has been open about his struggles adjusting to life in Florida.
But this week is homecoming for the Scot, who hails from Oban.
”When I go back to Oban, I get treated as Bob, one of the boys, not Robert MacIntyre, the golfer,” MacIntyre said. “I think that’s the way it should be. I think people sometimes get put too much on a pedestal.”
Zak and James Colgan then went exploring the town of Gullane, where they found an old-fashioned hickory golf club shop at which the owner explained to Zak the allure of playing hickory clubs.
