Connor Syme eyes a spot in Spain after two top 20 finishes

Connor Syme impressed at the Alfred Dunhill Championship. Picture: Richard Heathcote/Getty Images

The 22-year-old is keeping his fingers crossed that his management company, Modest! Golf, can secure an invitation for him in the Andalucia Valderrama Masters, which is being hosted by Sergio Garcia.

“At the minute, my next event is the Tour School [second stage] at the start of November, but we’ll see,” said Syme, who backed up tying for 12th in the Portugal Masters on his pro debut by finishing joint-15th in the Dunhill Links Championship on Sunday after a superb closing 66 at St Andrews.

“My team at Modest! will push hard for an invite for the Valderrama Masters, but, at this stage of the year, there’s so many going for them. It’s the only opportunity because all the others are Rolex Series events and I wouldn’t have a chance of them. Hopefully, but I can’t thank the European Tour and Dunhill enough for giving me a chance last week. It was a great opportunity to be playing European Tour events with no status, so I was delighted.”

In his eight rounds as a pro, Syme has shot scores in the 60s in six of them. The only time he’s not managed to break par was in the toughest conditions of the week at Carnoustie and, even then, he had to reason to feel pleased with a par-72. He’s won just over £70,000 in two events to sit 185th in Race to Dubai.

“It’s certainly an encouraging start, but I don’t want to get too far ahead of myself,” insisted Syme, who had already shown he wasn’t fazed by playing against pros when he tied for top spot at Gailes Links in one of the final qualifiers for this year’s Open.

“It’s a couple of good weeks and I knew I could shoot those scores as long as stuck to my process of doing what I do. Situations can change, but I’ve managed to keep a level head so far. I wouldn’t say people over complicate turning pro, it’s just different. You’re playing for money and it’s now your job.”