‘It drives me insane’: Tour winner blames TV drone for ‘bad shot’ at St. Andrews event

Robert MacIntyre voiced frustration over low-flying television drones distracting him during the first round of the 2026 Alfred Dunhill Links Championship at Carnoustie. The Scottish golfer revealed he stepped off his shots on two separate occasions due to the noise, directly blaming an encroaching drone for a bad shot on the eighth hole before finishing with an opening-round 71.

MacIntyre explained that wind buffeting aggravated the issue, making the drone sound like a revving car while trying to hold position. Despite understanding the demands of modern television broadcasts, he argued drones fly unnecessarily close to players. The incident follows a similar complaint MacIntyre made regarding drones during his victory at the 2024 RBC Canadian Open.