Kirkcaldy’s Connor Syme set the Gullane composite course record with an eight-under-par second round of 62 at the Aberdeen Standard Investments Scottish Open yesterday – only for it to be broken by a further shot by Japan’s Hideto Tanihara eight hours later.
Tanihara, 39, who was part of the third last group to tee off, shot a 61 which included an eagle at the par-five second hole, along with seven birdies.
That did not take the shine off Syme’s outstanding round ensured he safely made it through the cut on another day of low-scoring in East Lothian.
Syme says his exploits came as an added bonus, surpassing the record of 63 set by Thorbjorn Olesen and Joost Luiten the 2015 tournament, which was equalled by Luke List earlier this week.
He said: “I wasn’t actually thinking about the course record to be honest. To have a five-under round to make the cut was the main goal. I got off to a fast start, which was the goal because you make all your scores on the first six or seven holes, which are very low scoring.
“I birdied a couple of the more difficult holes round the turn, which gave me a chance to shoot 62. I would have taken a 63 but getting a birdie at the last was a bonus to get the course record.
“I got another course somewhere in Perth and Kinross, I think it was at Strathmore, where I got eight-under. I don’t know if it is still the course record. I was one off it at Crail.”
Syme admits nerves got to him ahead of his first round on Thursday, and he added: “It gives me a good platform to build on. Being my home Open, I was a bit more nervous than I might have been on the first tee on Thursday, but you have to go through that.
“I felt calm out there yesterday. Obviously I still want to contend this weekend, but I’m delighted with the 62.”
Yesterday’s round was extra cause for Syme to celebrate, having turned 23 on Wednesday, and he added: “It’s hard to buy for me. If they could buy me 62s, I’d take that every year.”
