Connor Syme rues 'frustrating' hole despite fourth top-ten finish on the trot

Connor Syme recorded his fourth successive top-ten finish on the DP World Tour but admitted it had been a “frustrating” last day in the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth.

Connor Syme in action during the final round of the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth Club. PIcture: Richard Heathcote/Getty Images.

Playing in the final group in the $9 million Rolex Series event alongside Ludvig Aberg and Tommy Fleetwood, the 28-year-old Drumoig-based player had to settle for a closing two-over-par 74 after running up a triple-bogey 7 at the eighth.

A pushed iron off the tee left him facing a tough second shot to a green guarded by water and he pulled his approach into the trees. He then hit a provisional ball into the water before doing exactly the same thing when having to go back to the same spot to hit his fourth shot.

“It’s just so frustrating about the eighth,” said Syme afterwards as he reflected on that costly hole effectively ending any realistic title hopes. “I was hitting a wood off the tee earlier in the week and getting it past the dip in the fairway. But, with the front flag, I could lay it back. The wind was gusting at that point and I just leaned on my 4-iron a little bit and it ended up in a bad spot.

“I should have taken my medicine really and chopped it down the fairway but I ended up in all sorts of bother and did really well to make a 7, to be honest.”

To his credit, the former Australian Amateur champion repaired that damage with a burst of three birdies in four holes from the 14th before covering the closing stretch in one under.

“From that point, I was really chuffed about how I battled because I was four or five over at that point and it wasn’t looking great,” he added. “But I managed to make a few birdies. It was good to grind out a score, although it was still disappointing.”

On recording his fourth top-ten finish in a row - he tied for tenth on this occasion to pick up £130,000 and valuable Race to Dubai points - the Scot admitted: “Yeah, it’s good.”