A closing hole eagle sent Scot Connor Syme soaring into a share of the lead heading to the weekend round of the Magical Kenya Open in Nairobi.
Syme, 28, was struggling with 10 straight pars ahead of brilliantly landing his second shot to just four-feet at the par-5 18th and holing the putt in a round of 68 to be tied at the top on seven-under at the host Muthaiga course.
The Fifer joined Finland’s Tapio Pulkkanen (68) and Dutchman Darius Van Dreel (69) , a stroke clear of three players including Syme’s best friend and management stablemate Ewen Ferguson (67).
It was a frustrating early round for Syme, grabbing birdie at both the first and fourth holes but then giving the shots straight back. He then birdied the seventh but then ‘burned’ the hole many times before the reward at the last.
An eagle at the last for @connor_syme to join the leaders at 7-under! #MKO2024 pic.twitter.com/YXlm8sxYX3
— DP World Tour (@DPWorldTour) February 23, 2024
Syme said: “I am pretty pleased though I didn’t putt as well as yesterday but then it was nice to get that bonus eagle there at the last to cap-off a solid round of golf.
“Given the altitude up here, you’re always taking yardage off the holes so I was in between a pitching wedge and a cap wedge there on the last, and it just came out perfect.
“My driving pleased me the most, as I felt I drove it pretty well given the fairways are very tight and bouncy while I scrambled well, particularly on the back nine, to keep the momentum going”.
Syme is this week contesting a 147th Tour event and looking for a maiden victory toast and now has Ferguson right on his tail, who’s looking for a third Tour title.
It was also two years ago in Nairobi when Syme had been there at the back of the 72nd hole to comfort Ferguson when let slip the third day lead to lose the Kenyan title in finishing T8th, and now the Bearsden golfer is up there again in contention.
Ferguson said: “It’s a difficult course and very tight. You feel kind of scared out there to hit the shots as there’s trees everywhere while the greens are very small.
“I managed to doctor my ball around the back nine of the course that was my front nine quite well, holing a few putts that helped keep the momentum going.
“My heartrate steadied after that and managed to put a good round together”.
It’s Ferguson’s fifth appearance on the Nairobi course lying 5,500 feet above sea level and looking not only to better a best finish of T8th two years ago but make it three Tour wins
The Scot won twice in 2022 within the space of 14 events but he’s since contested 43 events with a best of a T3rd just on a year ago in the SDC Championship that is being staged next week at the Eastern Cape of South Africa.
As well, Ferguson is keen to join a group of just 11 of 29 Scots who have won more than three times in the now 52-year history of the DP World Tour.
Ferguson said: “It’s just golf, and you just try you best. Sometimes it’s there and sometimes it’s not while you need a little break here and there.
And Peebles Craig Howie signed for a 69 to be one back of Ferguson.
“Hopefully, I’ll get a few breaks this weekend.
