Neil is leading Scot in Mauritius after Syme slips up at his closing hole
A last-hole slip up from Connor Syme on his first start as a European Tour card holder left Bradley Neil as the top Scot after the opening round of the Afrasia Mauritius Open.
Syme, who secured his playing rights with a top-10 finish in the Qualifying School in Spain a fortnight ago, was on course to start his season with a par-breaking effort until running up a double-bogey 6 at the ninth.
That left the 24-year-old Fifer having to settle for a one-overpar 72 at Heritage Golf Club, where he was lying joint 83rd at the end of a low-scoring opening round.
Neil, another European Tour newcomer this season, signed for five birdies as he carded a level-par 71 on a day when India’s Arjun Atwal set the pace with a nine-under-par 62 (31-31). “I’m pleased and shocked,” said Atwal, who will captain team asia against a European side led by Ryder Cup captain Thomas Bjorn in January.
“I took a very long route coming here. I came through Dubai and it took me 16 hours to get here. I was tired and I didn’t really expect anything. Sometimes when you don’t expect much, you get a lot out of it.”
Also on the European Tour, Scottish trio Grant Forrest, Scott Henry and Duncan Stew- art all faced a fight to make the cut after getting their new campaigns off to sluggish starts in the Australian PGA Championship.
As home players Jordan Zunic and Adam Bland led the way on six-under-par at the Royal Pines Resort on the Gold Coast (Masters champion Sergio Garcia was a shot back) Forrest and Henry both signed for 75s while Stewart dropped six shots in the last two holes as he carded an 80.