Drysdale gets a head for heights to make strong start in Cyprus

Scot D av i d Drysdale overcame a selfdiagnosed case of “elevated tee syndrome” to continue his dogged pursuit of a ma i d e n European Tour title in the Aphrodite Hills Cyprus Open.

Playing in his 509 th tournament, Drysdale carded an opening sixunder-par 65 yesterday to lie a shot off the lead held by England’s Mitch Waite and American Johannes Veerman in the inaugural edition of the £900,000 event.

As its name implies, Aphrodite Hills features some notable elevation changes and Drysdale had little memor y of them, having only previously played the course during a “drunken holiday” a decade ago.

“I got a little bit of vertigo on the third tee and the seventh tee,” Drysdale said after a round containing an eagle, five birdies and a solitary bogey.

“It’s weird, I call it ETS – elevated tee syndrome – where you feel like you can’t follow through, you just stay so far back on it because it’s so high up. It’s a strange feeling on a couple of tee shots round here.

“How you see this bit of land and design a golf course on it, i t ’s incredible. The fella who designed it has done an amazing job.

“Some of the drives, the buggy ride to the tee shot on three and then the buggy ride to the seventh tee, it’s incredible.

“I actually played here before about 10 years ago, but it was a little drunken holiday and we played early in the morning and I can’ t remember an awful lot about it, but I do remember the drive down that hill on seven and just thinking, ‘ Oh my god’,”

Wa ite turned professional in November 2018 and is making just his fourth start on the European Tour, but the 25-year-old from Bristol held his nerve when a hot start drew the attention of the TV cameras as he carded an eagle and seven birdies in his 64.

“Last year was a tough year and I started quite nicely at the beginning of this year on the Challenge Tour before Covid hit and that slowed me down, but I’m just fortunate to be here on an invite,” the world No 974 said.

Ja m i e Donaldson, England’s Andy Sullivan, Finland’s Sami Valimaki and France’s Joel Stalter share third place with Drysdale on six under on a d ay w h i c h s aw 78 completed rounds under par.

Fife’s Connor Syme is two over after an opening 73. Second-best placed Scot after Drysdale is Robert MacIntyre on three under.

Grant Fo r r e s t and Calum Hill are both two u n d e r, with Ewen Ferguson one shot further back, while Richie Ramsay sits alongside Syme on two over.

Six players in the 105 - strong field were unable to finish due to fading light.

David Drysdale lies one shot off the lead in Cyprus.