Connor Syme’s bid for an 11th hour spot at the 150th Open fell well short in the end, but the Drumoig man’s got himself an extra week off and some momentum for the rest of the season.
Syme was tied 13th at the halfway point but an awful start on Saturday meant he eventually came in with a 74. Sunday looked a lot better for a bit at two-under for the day at the turn, but he was hugely disappointed to finish with a par 70.
‘I’ll just keep on coming back’
Attack the weekend, lads 💙
🏴 @connor_syme 📸
🏴 @DavidLawGolf
🏴 @rooknox
🏴 @EwboF
🏴 @MarcWarrenGolf #GenesisScottishOpen🏴 | #RolexSeries | #FedExCup pic.twitter.com/DrVTr1yvts— Genesis Scottish Open (@ScottishOpen) July 9, 2022
“It’s mixed emotions,” he said after completing a three-over finish in 43rd. He had the small consolation of sharing the Jock MacVicar Award for top Scottish finisher with Russell Knox.
“I played lovely today and just holed absolutely nothing. I chucked a four-putt in there as well, which wasn’t ideal. But I’m pleased with my game and while there’s areas to work on, I’ll just keep on coming back.”
What had got Connor into position in the first two rounds deserted him on Saturday – the ability to minimise errors.
“I was chatting to my Dad (Stuart Syme, the PGA pro) about it and I just compounded one mistake with another,” he said.
“The first I hit in a bunker and three putted, the second I missed the green again and followed it up with a poor pitch shot across the green.
“Today (Sunday) I had a putt to go four-under for the day on 10 and end up shooting level. It’s sore, I was in a good position to make a good run at a top 10 at halfway but it wasn’t to be.
“But it definitely makes me hungrier to get better.
Syme will miss the Cazoo Open at Hillside the week after The Open before a busy stretch that includes two courses he’s had some success on, Celtic Manor and Fairmont St Andrews.
“There’s so many good tournaments after the Open, a great bunch in the UK and big money events after that.
“Trying to get the schedule together is going to be quite challenging but I have a good plan there. I’ll try and play between 27 and 28 this year.”
‘Only a couple of times I was awful’
Russell is 40th on the PGA Tour stat list for Tee to Green strokes gained. He's 198th (out of 204) in putting.https://t.co/fSHArSAskz via @thecourieruk
— Steve Scott (@C_SScott) July 7, 2022
Knox missed a 10-foot putt on the last to be top Scot, and admitted the tournament had matched his season.
“At times, I was brilliant and at other times, I was very average,” he said after his final round 71. “Only a couple of times I was awful.
“I guess that kind of encapsulates my season in some respects. At times, you feel like superman. But no, I didn’t play very well today.
“I hit too many approach shots to about 40 feet and just never got any momentum going.”
David Law will be at St Andrews next week, and thinks his prep at Renaissance will help him.
“Overall the week was a positive one,” he said after finishing with a one-under 69 for a four-over total. “I was always going to have a bit of mental fatigue and comedown after the high finish in Ireland last week.
“Could it be a benefit next week? I think so. We probably need to reset. I spoke to my coach on Saturday night about simple things that normally happen to me in the wind. I get closer to the ball, the club gets steeper and it was just about giving myself more space.
“It’s been good preparation for next week. I’ll certainly be ready for a week off after it, but the adrenalin of this will definitely get me through it.”
