Robert MacIntyre comes out swinging after heavy criticism of on-course behaviour

Robert MacIntyre has defended himself after the golfer received some criticism for his potty mouth. 

The Scot is playing the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship this week with his father Dougie. 

Other than being involved in this hilarious exchange with Rory McIlroy after the Ulsterman drove the green he was putting on, it hasn't gone unnoticed that the hot mics have picked up the Scot cursing repeatedly at himself. 

MacIntyre was playing alongside England's Tyrrell Hatton over the first two days of the popular DP World Tour event this week. 

And it's fair to say the pair were running hot, with Hatton describing the greens at Kingsbarns as 's---' after he watched MacIntyre miss a short putt. 

MacIntyre has also been caught dropping a few F-bombs. 

Watch that here:

"Look, it’s live sport," explained MacIntyre in an interview with Martin Dempster of The Scotsman. 

"It's the heat of the battle. You wouldn't put a microphone on a football pitch or on a referee because you are going to hear the bad language."

He added: "I am trying my best to improve it. The other side of it is I'm Scottish. 

"It is part of our vocab. It's difficult, but I am conscious of it and I am trying my best not to do it too much.

"But, if the microphone is there and it is catching me speaking to Mike [his caddie], I'm not going not going to change how I speak to him in a normal conversation just because a microphone is in my face. 

"But I am trying not to react to the shots as much as I have been.

"I'm trying my hardest to perform as best as I can. I double-bogeyed 18 yesterday, so I am going to be angry. 

"And what am I going to do when I am angry? I'm probably going to swear to myself. It's not to anybody else - it's to myself."

MacIntyre has carded rounds of 67, 72 and 65 across the Old Course, Kingsbarns and Carnoustie this week. 

He is tied for 22nd heading into the final round. 

The aforementioned Hatton has a one-shot lead. 

Hatton, 32, is bidding to become a three-time winner of this event. 

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