Connor Syme overcomes 'freak' four-putt to be top home player in Genesis Scottish Open

Connor Syme claimed the prize for top home player in the Genesis Scottish Open after Russell Knox encapsulated his season by finishing with a bogey at The Renaissance Club.

Connor Syme in action during the Genesis Scottish Open at The Renaissance Club. PIcture: Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images.

Won by Richie Ramsay in its inaugural playing 12 months ago, Syme secured the Jock MacVicar Memorial Award on this occasion by virtue of better last round - a 70 against a 71 - after the pair had both finished on three-over.

Syme, who had made the cut in his home Open for the fourth year running after securing an invitation, followed an early bogey with three straight birdies before having the wind taken out of the sails by a four-putt bogey 6 at the tenth.

“It’s mixed emotions,” he said of his day’s work. “I played lovely today and just holed absolutely nothing and chucked a four-putt - just a freak thing that happened now and then and it was my day for that to happen - in there as well which wasn’t ideal.

“But I’m pleased with my golf. I had a putt to go four-under for the day on 10 and end up shooting level. It’s sore, I was in a good position to make a good run at a top 10 at halfway, but it wasn’t to be. But it definitely makes me hungrier to get better.”

After a couple of days in Edinburgh then a stop off in Iceland, Knox is heading home to try and get himself into the PGA Tour’s FedEx Cup Play-Offs.

“At times, I was brilliant,” he said of his week’s work. “At times, I was very average. Only a couple of times I was awful. Yeah, I guess that kind of encapsulates my season in some respects.

“At times, you feel like superman. But, no, I didn’t play very well today. I hit too many approach shots to about 40 feet and just never got any momentum going.”

After being told by his wife, Andrea, that he was a “horrible” putter, the Florida-based player had used a ‘mini’ long putter for the first time on his return to Scottish soil.

“Today it was pretty bad,” reported Knox. “But, for a first week experimenting with it, then it wasn’t bad.

‘It was a tough week generally on the greens. The wind was pumping in the practice rounds as well, but I still felt like the putter was working reasonably well.”

David Law, who signed off with a best-of-the-week 69 that contained five birdies, will be making his major debut in The Open as he flies the Saltire along with Paul Lawrie and Bob MacIntyre.

“The week in itself was a positive one,” said the Aberdonian, who finished on four-over. It takes a lot out of you, but to play four rounds with the half of the draw we were on was an achievement in itself.

“I spoke to my coach, Alan McCloskey, on Saturday night about simple things that normally happen to me in the wind, I get closer to the ball, the club gets steeper and it was just about giving myself more space. It’s good preparation for next week.”

Ewen Ferguson (73) and Marc Warren (74) both finished on seven-over.