Planned to perfection? Connor Syme close to teeing up pre-wedding Open appearance

Connor Syme is one round away from pulling off the perfect wedding plan after keeping himself in the hunt for the last three spots up for grabs in the 152nd Open.

The 29-year-old picked 23 July as the date he’d be tying the knot with fiancee Alanis specifically due to it falling straight after the Claret Jug event at Royal Troon, with all that remained to drop into place being his appearance in it.

It could be mission accomplished if Syme can maintain a timely return to form because, heading into the final round of the Genesis Scottish Open, he’s in with a chance of joining Bob MacIntyre, Ewen Ferguson, Jack McDonald and amateur Calum Scott in the field for the season’s final men’s major.

Connor Syme pictured during the Genesis Scottish Open at The Renaissance Club in East Lothian. Picture: Harry How/Getty Images.

After adding a 67 to opening rounds of 68 and 66 at The Renaissance Club, the Drumoig-based player is tantalisingly close to securing one of the three spots up for grabs in the ‘Last Chance Saloon’ for Troon.

“Yeah, definitely a chance,” acknowledged Syme, who made his debut in the game’s oldest major in 2017 before teeing up in it again in both 2019 and 2023. “You can't help but look and figure out who’s in and what's all happening.”

After covering his opening ten holes in four under in the third round, Syme had catapulted himself into the top ten and, even though a bogey at the tenth then took some of the wind out of his sails, it was still a pleasing day’s work on the East Lothian coast.

“Yeah, when I got to ten under through ten, I was definitely hoping for better for sure,” he admitted. “But it just didn't didn't quite happen. Never really had it close enough unfortunately over the last few holes. But pretty pretty solid work. Obviously probably a little bit too far back (to win), but I'll give it a good push tomorrow hopefully.”

Syme picked up just under £90,000 for finishing fourth behind Ferguson in last week’s BMW International Open in Germany and is on course for another bug pay-day in this week’s $9 million tournament, which is co-sanctioned by the DP World Tour and PGA Tour.

“The wedding bills have been racking up, so last week was a nice reprieve on the expenditure of late, “ he said smiling. “Yeah, super-excited for that as well and it would be great to go from The Open to there. That was the plan originally, so hopefully I do that.”

Syme, who is coached by his dad Stuart, is now an impressive 23 under for his last seven rounds. “I had a really solid run in Africa and then I changed my driver. It hadn't been quite right and I guess sometimes it kind of comes back to bite you a little bit,” he said.

“t just didn't work out the way I wanted it to and I ended up just not driving as well. I really struggled off the tee, which is normally my strength. Did some really positive work off the back of a missed cut in Italy and then did some really good work with Ping staff at the start of Germany and I think I from the guys that made the cut I was leading the driving stats. It just makes such a difference to be in play off the tee and be able to kind of try and hit it close to the flags.”

A bogey to finish left Grant Forrest a tad deflated, even though he also signed for a 67. “It was a sore way to finish and I’ll probably not move up that much,” said the local man.