Pieters admits he must curb temper

Super 6 leader says he will have to ‘keep his head on’ for victory

Thomas Pieters admits he will have to keep his emotions in check to win a first individual title since 2016 in the ISPS Handa World Super 6.

Pieters has developed an unwanted reputation for displays of anger on the course, famously snapping a club around his neck during the 2018 BMW PGA Championship and breaking another across his knee before depositing the pieces in a gorse bush during the 2016 Open.

The former Ryder Cup star was also annoyed by a late bogey in a second round of 66 at Lake Karrinyup which left him in a four-way tie for the half way lead on eight under par alongside Ryan Fox, Matthew Griffin and Thailand’s Panuphol Pittayarat.

“I putted really nicely today but then near the end I struggled and I’m still really annoyed at the way I finished,” Pieters said in an interview broadcast on Sky Sports.

“Like I said earlier in the week, I’ve just struggled to get four good days in one week and hopefully I can do that this week. I’m playing nicely and if just keep my head on, hopefully we can have a good one tomorrow and then anything can happen on Sunday.”

Tomorrow will see the top 24 players battle it out in six-hole match-play contests to decide the winner, with the top eight qualifiers receiving a bye in the first round. Matches tied after six holes will be decided using a “shoot-out” hole which utilises the existing 18th green and a new tee around 90 yards away.

Leading Scot is Robert Macintyre who is one shot off the lead on seven under par alongside England’s Richard McEvoy and Australian Matt Jager.

Drumoig’s Connor Syme is only four shots off the lead after a second round 67 saw him finish on four under.

Heading home is Richie Ramsay, who carded a 67 but finished on level par – one off the cut. David Drysdale was three-over after a 71, while last week’s headline-making David Law – winner of the Handa Vic Open in Australia – had a nightmare round of 80 to finish on six over.