Scot Conor Syme admitted it’s a ‘stupid game’ after his remarkable start – triple-bogey, ace and then birdie – to his round on day three of the BMW International Open in Munich.
Syme kick-started golf’s ‘moving day’ with a wild drive, well right into trees so much so he played a ‘provisional’
The Fifer found his tee shot but had to take a ‘penalty’ drop before finally reaching the green in 5 and then two-putting from some 25-feet to be three-over after only one hole on the Golf Club Munchen course to the north of the Bavarian capital.
At the next, and the par-3 second, Syme had 227-yards to the hole and with his 5-iron shot hitting the green, and rolling and rolling, and finally into the cup.
Surprisingly, it was Syme’s maiden Tour ace.
From three-over Syme was back to just one-over and remarkably at the next then back to level, and as if he’d stepped off the most bizarre ride in pro golf for some time when he hed a three-footer for a birdie ‘3’ at the par-4 third hole.
Syme had gone from an absolute low to the highest of highs in only three holes.
He said: “What a stupid game, honestly. I tripled the first and Ryan (McGuigan, his caddie) was trying to keep me upbeat as it’s not how you are expecting to start the day, especially after feeling good from yesterday, when I finished well to make the weekend.
“It just shows you. Don’t get too annoyed and maybe good things will happen (smiling). To be fair, my shot at two never left the flag but, at the same time, you are never expecting it to go in. But it bounced and was online for ages and, as it kept rolling and rolling, I was like, ‘is that going to go in?’
“It’s been good to me so far this week – a 2 and 1. Yeah, amazing and my first on tour. I think that’s my sixth now in my career.
“Joost [Luiten] had a hole-in-one playing behind me yesterday. But I was in that much shock after holing it after making a 7 that I didn’t look to see if a car was up for grabs until I had got off the tee and, of course, there wasn’t.”
Sadly, there was no gleaming new BMW for Syme, just the honour on the next tee.
However, Syme afterwards sent a couple dozen ‘cold one’s’ to the caddy lounge.
The Scot continued his rou d sandwiching a bogey at eight among birdies at six, seven and nine, a while dropping a shot at 11, Syme ended his wild German ride with three birdies over his closing five, including a three-footer at 18 in a round of 68 and move to six-under.
Syme was later joined by fellow Scot Calum Hill (71) and sharing 15th place while Robert MacIntyre (69) was at five-under.
Dutchman Joost Luiten, 37, posted a 65 to lead the field by three shots at 14-under as he seeks a seventh Tour title and a first in five years.
MEANTIME….
South African Christo Lamprecht is the new R&A Amateur champ after defeating Swiss Ronan Kleu 4&2 in the 36-hole final at Hillside.
