Robert MacIntyre Withdraws From Valspar Championship

Robert MacIntyre has withdrawn from this week's Valspar Championship following his fourth-place finish at The Players.

The World No.9 was in contention for the 'fifth Major' coming down the back nine but fell back after bogeying the par 5 16th hole, where he chipped it into the water with his third shot.

He ended three shy of Cameron Young's 13-under-par total and has now pulled out of this week's event following a gruelling few days at TPC Sawgrass.

MacIntyre was the second-highest-ranked player in the Valspar Championship field and among the favorites for the title.

He gave no indication to media following his finish at The Players that he'd be taking this week off, but he did say it was a "stressful" Sunday in contention. He has been replaced in the field by Andrew Putnam.

"No, it was stressful. I was actually struggling to eat early in the back nine," he said after shooting 65-69 on the weekend.

"Yeah, it's what I want to do. It's where I want to compete. Obviously last year was a big kind of wake-up call for me in order to know that I can really compete at the top end of world golf.

"I had a chance today to do something very special that obviously Sandy [Lyle, the 1987 Players Champion] was the last one to do it from our country.

"Yeah, coming into that back nine, middle of that back nine I really thought I was in with a shout.

"The way I'm playing, driving it beautifully, putting unbelievable, it was just a matter of getting that ball inside 30 feet and then look out. Yeah, just disappointed with the bogeys on the back nine to finish, but yeah, I gave it a shot."

MacIntyre will be hoping to slip into the Green Jacket at The Masters next month, where he has the chance to become the latest left-hander to win after Mike Weir, Phil Mickelson and Bubba Watson.

The Ryder Cup star, who was 2nd at the US Open last year, has a best finish of T12 at Augusta in 2021.

He is on a strong run of form with two top-10s in six starts this year after winning the Dunhill Links in October. He has not missed a cut since last year's Masters.

The 29-year-old will likely play either the Houston Open next week or the following week's Valero Texas Open as his final tune-up before the year's first Major.