Exclusive: Syme Delighted To Bury Durban Disappointment & Soaring High In Joburg.

8 months ago by Comments Off on Exclusive: Syme Delighted To Bury Durban Disappointment & Soaring High In Joburg.

Connor Syme is delighted to have bounced back from last week’s Durban disappointment in missing the cut in the rain-shortened South African Open and put himself in contention for a maiden Tour victory at the Joburg Open

Syme superbly added a five-under second round 65 to Thursday’s opening 66 to move to nine-under and tied for third heading to the weekend rounds in the co-sanctioned event being played on a wet Houghton course.

Heavy overnight rain saturated the course located to the north of the South African capital, forcing officials into adopting a one-club length ‘free drop’ ruling on the fairways.

South African Shaun Norris signed for a 63 to lead the way at 11-under and one clear of Frenchman Adrien Sadlier (65) and with Syme tied with India’s Shubhanka Sharma (65).

Norris had been to the doctors early in the week struggling with a hearing problem and while his golf was not affected, he could not hear anything in his left ear.

Syme capped the second round of his 176th Tour event with three birdies in his opening five holes and while he dropped a shot at the sixth hole of his round (16th on the scorecard), he also birdied three inward holes.

He said: “It was a good round, and I’m pretty pleased with how I’ve played over these two days.

“Also, after missing the cut last week in Durban it’s been nice to bounce back and be lying at the right end of the ‘board.

“Of course, after all the rain the course is a bit wet.  We had rain last week and now this week, so the rain has been just a bit crazy.  It’s just nice to be playing and not have too many weather issues”.

Syme is teeing-up on the Houghton course for only a second time, having only previously played the course as an amateur in 2017.

He said: “It’s a beautiful course and while I was here back in 2017 with the Scottish amateur team, I really can’t remember much of the course but it’s just nice to come back to somewhere you kind of remember.

“It’s a golf course where you don’t use the driver that much and for Joburg that’s a bit unusual because I’ve been here a few times and playing courses where you just get up and hit the ball long, and far.

“There’s a lot more strategy around here where you’re hitting a lot of fairway woods off the tee but then with the course also being so wet, it’s important to be on the fairway.

“Overall, pleased I gave myself plenty of chances, so really happy with the round.

“I just love coming down here to South Africa as I have been very fortunate to be coming down here for many years now”.

Fellow Scot Calum Hill, and who also travelled to South Africa in 2017 with the Scottish Amateurs, leap-frogged some 40 spots with his second round 66 tied 20th at five-under.

Richie Ramsay (67) is at three-under and one fewer than Ewen Ferguson (69) while Scott Jamieson (74) was the only casualty, missing the level par cut at six-over.



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