Scot Connor Syme continues to show he’s made of sterner stuff in continuing to deal with tournament golf in a ‘bubble’ to be sharing second place and just two shots off the lead heading to the weekend rounds of the Andalucia Masters at Valderrama in Spain.
The Drumoig golfer birdied his 16th and managed two great closing par saves for a second day one-over par 72 and a one-under par 36-hole tally.
American John Catlin, who was banned from teeing-up a month ago when he and his caddie left the English Championship ‘bubble’ of Hanbury Manor ahead of the event to visit a local restaurant, was in the very last group of the day and ended in near darkness to grab the lead at three-under after his round of a one-under par 70.
Californian-born Catlin, 29, and who has had seven pro career wins and all in Asia, birdied his 16th and 17th holes ahead of a closing par.
Sharing second place with Syme is Welshman Jamie Donaldson (71) and Spaniard Pablo Larrazabal (70).
Syme has been in contention over the last fortnight, banging loudly on a first European Tour victory door at the Celtic Classic and then a week later, and on the same Celtic Manor course, all but stepping through for a win in the Wales Open.
Now the Tour’s top in-form player is looking for a first triumph in the bright but very windy conditions on the Costa del Sol.
Connor Syme showing he’s made of stern stuff in being in contention for a third week running. (Photo – European Tour)
Syme said: “I’m pretty pleased to be honest, it wasn’t easy again – the wind was probably a little less than yesterday but still equally as difficult.
“I probably wasn’t as sharp around the greens, got a couple of bad breaks but that’s just going to happen to you to be honest.
“So, very happy with the way I grinded, and I holed a few nice putts there at the end to salvage a pretty good score again today.”
It’s a first occasion for Syme and most in the field tackling the famed but tight, unforgiving, cork tree-lined course and the 25-year old is pretty pleased with his efforts heading to the weekend rounds’
He said: “My caddies and I were talking about the importance of staying focused for as little time as possible but then switch off in between shots so that when you’re over the ball you’re putting everything into working it out.
“Because it’s such a grind, it’s pretty hilly and it’s a tough walk as well as being a difficult golf course so trying to keep as much energy as possible for when you’re playing your shots is key, so it’s tough but I’m happy with the score.”
For Syme, this week marks a sixth of seven weeks since the resumption to European Tour competition that he’s contested under the auspices of being within a tournament ‘bubble’.
And while Syme has seemingly adapted well to having to spend some six days a week in the ‘bubble’ it’s clearly been tough on others.
England’s Jordan Smith was among five players who either retired or withdrew on day one of the Spanish event and with the 27-year old, and 2017 Porsche European Open winner, letting it be known life in the ‘bubble’ has not helped his golf.
In fact, Smith withdrew at 11-over par through 14 holes on Thursday with Norwegian’s 22-year old Kristoffer Reitan having doubled the 10th hole before announcing to his playing partners he was withdrawing
American Sam Crocker was seven-over after nine holes and withdrew and the big surprise being China’s Haotong Li, who just a few weeks ago led the PGA Championship heading to the weekend rounds. Li walked from the Valderrama course at five-over after just three holes. The China No. 1 bogeyed the second and then took a quadruple bogey ‘7’ at the third before calling it quits.
And while the conditions on the famed Costa del Sol were brutal, Smith let it be known it was not the conditions that forced him from the golf course.
He said: “If people are wondering why I withdrew from this week’s event, the main fact was it was my 7th week in a row and ‘the bubble’ has gotten the better of me.
“Feeling like being in lockdown again not being allowed out of the hotel does get to you after a while and mentally I had enough.”
Smith did apologise to the European Tour and his sponsors for his actions.
He has contested all six of the ‘UK Swing’ events making the cut in four and a best finish of T14th in the English Championship.
Robert MacIntyre birdied two of his closing four holes in a two-under par 69 while fellow Scot Ewen Ferguson signed for a 76 to join MacIntyre at seven-over par.
