Top-ranked Scot Robert MacIntyre will head a strong field of five in-form Tartan players into this week’s mega-millions season-ending DP World Tour Championship in Dubai.
MacIntyre and fellow season Tour-winning Marc Warren cemented their places some months ago into Thursday’s start to the £stg 5.9m final event of a COVID-19 2020 schedule at the Jumeirah Estates in Dubai.
Now joining the pair is the trio of Drumoig’s Connor Syme, and 67th on the Race to Dubai rankings, Haddington’s Grant Forrest (68th) and Glaswegian Scott Jamieson (69th).
For Syme and Forrest it will be a first showing in the DP World.
In a normal season, it would be the top-60 teeing-up on the Earth Course but this has not been a normal season with the Race to Dubai cut to 38 events.
European Tour officials informed Syme and others the DP World Entry list would go down to those in the high 70s on the Race to Dubai given a number of US-based players who will not be travelling to Dubai.
They include Rory McIlroy who stated at last month’s Masters he would not be competing again until later next month. It’s now meant this is the first year since McIlroy turned pro in late 2007 that he’s not competed on European soil.
McIlroy’s loss is Syme’s delight as he excitedly explained after shooting a final round 71 to share 10th place in the South African Open at Sun City.
Connor Syme heading to his first DP World Tour Championship
Syme said: “The Tour staff mentioned entries for the DP World are projected to go down to 72nd or something so I’m absolutely fine for Dubai.
“It was definitely a big performance this week and it’s never easy not knowing where the situation lies, so I played well and did what I had to do.
“We knew at the start of the lockdown we would always be keeping our Tour cards for next year though I’ve still got a lot to play for next week.
“Although it’s been difficult and sometimes restricted,eur what with all the restrictions, we are all just very grateful to be playing.
Syme’s closing round was a mix of three birdies and two bogeys in finishing top among the four remaining Scots.
He said: “It’s been great to come down here to South Africa and get some good weather when it’s not so good at home. Very lucky, to be honest.
“So, heading now to Dubai where I will be trying to finish the season as high up the rankings as possible.”
Kirkcaldy’s Calum Hill, 26, shared 14th place on four-under following a 69 to finish two behind Syme on four-under, ahead of compatriots David Law (72) at one-under and tied 25th while Jamieson (75) was at level.
Borders David Drysdale, who missed the South African cut, officially ended his year 85th on the money list, Hill 99th, Richie Ramsay 112th, Craigh Howie 144th, Ewen Ferguson 155th, Stephen Gallacher 172nd, David Law 174th, Liam Johnston 218th and Daniel Young 283rd.
South African Christiaan Bezuidenhout was in a class all his own signing for a closing 69 for a five-shot success at 18-under par in the 110th hosting of the South African Open.
Bezuidenhout, 26 entered the event having captured last week’s Alfred Dunhill Championship, an effort that lifted him to No. 41 in the world and now after a third European Tour win and a seventh worldwide, he’s set to leap to 34th on the rankings.
He said: “It’s unbelievable to stand here with an Open win,” Bezuidenhout said. “It’s any South African golfer’s dream to win a national tournament. It’s unreal.
“I fought hard today, the front nine things didn’t really go my way and I just dug deep to come out with a win today.
Bezhuidenhout also rocketed to No. 5 on the Race to Dubai and how a big threat to end the year with three wins in succession.
