Syme Sizzles With The Scot Moving Near The Top ‘Down Under’

2 years ago by Comments Off on Syme Sizzles With The Scot Moving Near The Top ‘Down Under’

Scotland’s Connor Syme is in sizzling form ‘Down Under’ producing a bogey-free seven-under 64 on golf’s tradtional ‘moving day’ at the Fortinet PGA Championship in Brisbane, Australia.

Syme, 28, was out off the first tee in the company of fellow Scot Grant Forrest to grab six birdies over his opening nine holes that included four in succession from his sixth hole on the host Royal Queensland course.

However the birdies dried-up for the 2016 Australian Amateur champ over his inward half with just a lone birdie at the 16th on route to ending the round of the first 2024 DP World Tour season event sharing fifth place at 10-under-par.

Australian and former Scottish Open champ Min Woo Lee heads the field by three shots at 17-under and with the present World No. 45 lying at 17-under par and also looking to match or better the tournament’s four-round record of 22-under.

Syme’s effort of 64 matches a similar score 10 months ago in his opening event of the 2023 DP World Tour season, also on day three of the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship whilst his lowest Tour round is a nine-under 61 on day two of the 2021 Grand Canaria Lopesan Open and backing up that score with a day three 62 on route to sharing fifth.

“Yeah, it was a good day. I didn’t actually feel that great to be honest, this morning. I felt good mentally but I just didn’t feel my swing was quite there on the range”, said Syme.

“So I just kind of tried to manage my golf ball better. Obviously it was a little bit easier today in terms of the breeze, it was pretty windy yesterday afternoon, but yeah, I’m pretty pleased. Well, really pleased with 7-under. It obviously depends on the
leaders, but I’m in a good spot”.

Of course, Syme’s no stranger to visiting Australia having captured the 2016 Australian Amateur at the Metropolitan Club in Melbourne that earned him a start in the Australian Open while his last visit was during 2020 competing prior to Covid lockdown measures.

“I love it down here in Australia”, he said.  “It’s my first time back in Australia for a while, but I love it down here. A great opportunity to come back down and play and I think when I was wondering about coming down, you start looking up YouTube like what’s the
tournament like and just seeing so many fans.

“Definitely that was like proper massive tournaments down here, so it was like, really lucky to come down and have an
opportunity to play.

“I played in the Australian Open once before when I was an amateur. I’ve been a good few times down here over in Perth but it’s been a while, so it’s nice to come back down”.

And Syme spoke also of his delight playing the third in the company of long-time good friend and countryman Grant Forrest.

“I love Grant, so it was great to be with him. I think we pushed each other along quite a bit. He made quite a few birdies towards the end. said Syme.

“So good, to see.

“Like you say, miles away from home but it’s good to have your mates around as well”.

And speaking of Forrest, the Scot posted a second straight 68 to be just inside the top-20 at six-under.

 



Comments are closed.