Syme plays some of his best golf of year

Connor Syme is in the midst of a gruelling golfing schedule but feels he is rounding into his best form of the season as he progresses in the Scottish Amateur Championship, writes Steve Scott.

Just 21 two weeks ago, the Drumoig player took four days off in Open week to celebrate with his girlfriend, but otherwise he’s been all business this summer for GB&I, Scotland and himself.

Yesterday he came through his third-round tie at Royal Aberdeen with Muckhart’s Robert Watson firing seven birdies, but typically it was “mares” on the second and ninth he was more concerned with.

Two-up after seven, Connor lost the eighth to Watson’s birdie and then gifted the next to go back to all square, which was enough to get him fired up to birdie the next four holes and win them all.

“I was a bit annoyed to go from being in control to square and that maybe reflected in the next few holes,” he said.

“I holed from outside him at the 10th for a good birdie and that stopped any momentum he had.”

Connor finished the usual June amateur circuit then played every round of the winning European Team Championship for Scotland, and then every series for GB&I in the St Andrews Trophy against Europe at Prince’s last week.

After the Scottish, there’s the European Individual Amateur and then the US Amateur to come.

“This is a really challenging track, but today I think I played some of my best golf of the year. It’s tight, but there are quite a few holes where you just have get the driver out, stand up and play golf, as dad (Drumoig professional Stuart Syme) always says.”

The absence of Grant Forrest as top seed in the draw has been well-filled by his replacement, the home club’s Fintan McKenna, coming through three rounds.

Royal Aberdeen are guaranteed a player in the last 16 as he takes on three-time club champion Steven Buchan this morning.

Buchan (38) and McKenna (18) hadn’t even met until a logjam at the second hole yesterday led to the older man introducing himself, but both have the local knowledge that could help either progress further after their meeting this morning.

“I’m being outhit by 50 yards most of the time but I don’t panic because I know how to play the course, having been a member here since I was 10,” said Buchan.

McKenna, who only took up the game at 13, thinks this the toughest he’s ever seen the course.

“We’re playing tees I’ve never seen before and the rough is the thickest I’ve seen,” he said.

“I marshalled at the Scottish Open here three years ago and it was much easier than this.”

A third Royal Aberdeen member is through in four-time club champion Mark Halliday, now in his 40s but still a big threat especially around Balgownie.

He came back from three down to beat Alyth’s Michael Brodie and his tie today against Barry Hume, the 2001 Scottish champion and recalled international, looks like the big highlight clash of the last 32.

Having lost two seeds, with Forrest withdrawing and Ewen Ferguson not yet recovered from injury, there was one lost on the course at last with Jamie Savage routed 6 and 4 by Calum Hill, the former boys’ cap from the Tantallon club in North Berwick.

The four others, however, are all present where they should in this morning’s last 32.