Connor Syme is hoping his impressive five-stroke victory in Crail’s 2oth anniversary Battle Trophy will be another stepping stone into this year’s GB & I Walker Cup team.

The 21-year old lead from day one and then battled near gale force winds over the last round to seal success on the acclaimed Gil Hanse designed Craighead Links course.

Connor Syme wins 2017 Battle Trophy at Crail Golfing Society.

Scotland’s second highest world-ranked amateur was in a class of his own having led by 10 strokes into the final round and also end a bitter run of having been so close to success the past two years including leading by one stroke with a round to play a year ago only to lose to now rookie Craigielaw pro Grant Forrest.

The Drumoig-base Syme, and coached by his father, Stuart has done almost everything in the amateur ranks except compete in the biannual Walker Cup.

Syme had helped GB & I win the 2013 Jacques Leglise Trophy while in 2015 he was a member of the winning Scottish European Amateur team and was in the team that last year retained the European team title,

On a personal level, Syme went into the Battle Trophy with victory in the 2016 Australian Amateur.

Now representing GB & I in the Walker Cup beckons for Syme.

“I am really pleased to win the Battle Trophy as it is an event I have been trying to win for a few years now,” he said.

“The win also sets me up nicely for the next few weeks at I have the Lytham Trophy coming up and then I am competing in Ireland, and all in a Walker Cup year.

“So, that if my goal this year and winning the Battle Trophy is a great step forward in that direction.”

Syme was announced in January as part of a squad of 19 ahead of the eventual team being confirmed in August ahead of competition taking place from 8th to 1O September in Los Angeles.