Gullane, Scotland …

Scotland’s Connor Syme was in sizzling form grabbing 10 birdies in setting a new ‘Championship’ course record with an eight-under par 62 on day two of the Aberdeen Standard Investments Scottish Open at Gullane.

The Drumoig golfer’s effort, and two days after his birthday, was easily his lowest European Tour career round and clipped one shot of the mark of nine under par 63 set by the duo of Dane Thorbjorn Olesen and Dutchman Joost Luiten in the 2015 Scottish Open when first held at Gullane.

The ‘Championship’ course hosting this week’s $7m Rolex Series event is a ‘mix’ of holes emcompassing both the No. 1 and the No. 2 courses at Gullane.

Syme’s previous lowest round in only 21 events on the Tour was a 67 in the final round of last year’s Portugal Masters.

And the 2017 Crail Golfing Society’s Battle Trophy winner could not have been happier.

“I’m ecstatic. It was a special round. I’m absolutely over the moon,” he said smiling broadly.

“The big thing was certainly being 4-under through six, that’s where you’ve got to make your score. I knew that to make the cut, I would have had to get off to a fast start.

“I started with three birdies, which was great, and yeah, got another one on 5, I think, and then you know, kind of hanging on, 7 is a really tough hole, gave myself a look for birdie and birdied 8 and 9. My first 29, which
was nice.

“So, I just carried on very solid back nine”.

Symn, who turned 23 on the eve of this week’s event, birdied his opening three holes along with the fifth, eighth and ninth holes before moving to seven-under with a birdie at 11 and then after six straight pars he birdied the last.

His record-setting round included 27 putts.

The young Scot’s effort was also after a first round one-over par 71 that included just three birdies but also two bogeys and a fifth hole double bogey.

And what was important for Syme is he will now play all four rounds for a seventh occasion in his 17 Tour events this season.

“I knew 65 was the minimum requirement today after 71 yesterday, with the scoring being so good. Obviously happy with a fast start, put me right away on the cut line, projecting the cut, you know it’s going to be lower than that,” he said.

“I got myself out of that little pack, which is obviously going to be the main target and then I could kind of free wheel from there.

“The thing is you’ve got to make your score on the front nine, definitely. The first, depends on your tee shot. You can give yourself a good look for birdie. There’s a few good looks through 5, 6, 2, 3, 4 is a tough hole but you really need to start off well.

“If you’re level par for them holes, you know you’re behind, definitely. I think getting a few under par definitely relaxes you for the next tough stretch of holes.”

The effort has also boosted Syme’s goal of securing a place into next week’s Open Championship should he be among the leading three non-exempt players.

“It would obviously be a dream come true to play Carnoustie, being so close to home but definitely is in the back of the mind for now,” he said.

“It was obviously a goal at the start of the week was to give myself a chance to do it and after today I somewhat have.”