Being a new dad while playing full-time on the PGA Tour is difficult. But 2x PGA Tour Champ Robert MacIntyre is learning that the hard way in 2026. The Scottish left-hander opened up about that struggle on Instagram on Friday, September 4. In his Instagram photo, MacIntyre held his baby son Findlay near the sea. He spoke honestly about trying to balance golf with fatherhood.

“Trying to be the best player you can be but feeling like you should be back home changing nappies in the middle of the night😂 💩 my @pgatour season brought new challenges this year but happy to have made Tour Champs. Next stop: a trip over the water for the Irish Open 💪.”

Findlay was born on January 28, just as the PGA Tour season was getting into full swing. MacIntyre will now head back to the DP World Tour for the Amgen Irish Open at Trump International Golf Links & Hotel in Doonbeg from September 10-13. The field includes Rory McIlroy, Jon Rahm, and Shane Lowry.

The timing made things even harder for MacIntyre. He started the 2026 season strongly, finishing T4 at the Sony Open in Hawaii. It looked like another big year for the 30-year-old, who had finished runner-up at the U.S. Open the year before. He then added top-10 finishes at the Players Championship and the Valero Texas Open. But the season soon became more difficult.

MacIntyre missed the cut at both the Masters and the PGA Championship. He also failed to make the weekend at the Memorial Tournament in June. For a player of his level, it was a frustrating stretch. But Ryder Cup-winning coach Paul McGinley believed the problem was bigger than golf.

“I don’t think he’s got a golf issue going on at the moment; I think he’s got life going on.”

He also pointed to the arrival of MacIntyre’s baby just before the Masters.

“He’s just had a baby a few months ago, just before the Masters… It’s not derailed him, but it’s an adjustment in your life.”

MacIntyre had already admitted that he was going through a big adjustment.

“It’s about trying to navigate life a little bit differently,” he said when speaking about his new life as a father in April.

“The last couple of weeks has been a massive learning curve for me.”

Still, MacIntyre did not let a difficult first half define his season. He finished inside the top 10 six times in 2026, with three coming in the second half. His best finish was a tie for second at the Valero Texas Open.

There was another setback at the FedEx St. Jude Championship. MacIntyre shot a career-worst 12-over-par 82 in the opening round and withdrew before the second round because of a knee injury.

But once again, he bounced back. MacIntyre entered the BMW Championship ranked 36th in the FedExCup. He finished tied for seventh and moved up to 25th, earning his place at the Tour Championship at East Lake.

He finished the regular season with 1,428 FedExCup points, ranked 25th, and $5,385,888 in earnings. He ranks 28th in the FedExCup and 18th in the world.

He did not win a tournament. But after everything he had to balance this year, simply staying in the fight says a lot. Now, MacIntyre turns his attention to the DP World Tour’s Back 9 swing, starting with the Irish Open. He is still chasing his third PGA Tour title. He is still learning how to be a dad. And despite all the ups and downs, he is still very much in the mix.