SYME & FERGIE LOSE THEIR GRIP
BEST mates Connor Syme and Ewen Ferguson were sharing the lead twice on day two before slipping down the board at the Soudal Open in Antwerp, Belgium.
Syme, coming off a share of second in last week’s British Masters, tied the lead with five opening birdies but it was all downhill after a 10th-hole bogey.
The Drumoig golfer also had a bogey on 12 then a double at 13. While he birdied 17 for a second day, Syme dropped a shot at the last for a one-under 70 to be just inside the top 20 at four under.
Ferguson is a shot back at three under. He went out from the 10th to birdie 12 and 15, putting him into a tie for the lead.
But the Qatar Masters champ then dropped three shots over his inward nine for a one-over 72.
German Matti Schmid, top rookie of last year, grabbed eight birdies in a 64 before being joined by the English duo of Dale Whitnell (69) and Sam Horsfield (69) to share the lead at eight under on the Rinkven course.
One shot back is Portuguese star Ricardo Santos, who celebrated the 10th anniversary of his maiden Tour win on home soil at the 2012 Madeira Islands Open with a sizzling 66.
Santos said: “The memories are still clear. I shot a last-round 63. I am going to need something like that this weekend to have a chance.”
Craigielaw’s Grant Forrest posted 69 to be three under while Richie Ramsay, so close to victory last week, signed for a 70 to make the cut right on the one-under mark.
David Drysdale (71), Stephen Gallacher (72) and Marc Warren (79) all missed the cut on a mixed day for Scots.