Scotland’s affable Connor Syme birdied his first and last holes and with three bogeys in between for a respectable one-over par 71 on the day of the Dubai Duty Free Irish Open at Galgorm Castle in Northern Ireland.

And the young Scot walked from the course still on a high after teeing-up last week in a first major on U.S. soil.

“It was a great experience and very much a longer and tougher version of Valderrama and tougher greens summed-up Winged Foot,” said Syme.

“It was great to go over there to tee-up and have the great experience of contesting a US Open, and clearly another step in my career.

Connor Syme kick starts his Dubai Duty Free Irish Open campaign with a one-over par 71

“I didn’t play my best on the first day but it was a lot better in the second round, and it seems funny to say that when you have shot five-over as the game didn’t feel that far away.

“Clearly, not a great week not to play all four rounds but I still feel I am in a decent run of form from the end of the UK Swing and into this week here at Galgorm.

And while Syme would dearly have loved to have a week off this week after last week’s U.S. Open ordeal, and though the Scot played just two rounds, he’s not exempt into next week’s Aberdeen Standard Investments Scottish Open.

Currently Syme is 16 spots shy of the cut-off point for entries and will have to rely on either capturing the Irish Open, be the leading non-exempt among the top-10 finishes in Ireland or be handed one of sponsor invitations.

Syme said: “I would have liked to take this week off but because of my category I am not sure if I will qualify for the Scottish and BMW PGA, so I definitely needed to play this week.

“I love this golf course, having been over here to play last year’s Challenge Tour event, so I guess in that way the U.S. Open did impact my schedule in having to miss the Portugal Masters.

“Of course, it was a major last week and we all want to be playing the majors and I did get a bit of a rest over the weekend and back into this time-zone frame of mind, so I still feel good for this week.”