Round Up: Connor Syme blown off course in windy Oman

Connor Syme lines up a putt before play was suspended due to high winds in the second round of the Oman Open. Picture: Getty Images

Syme, who got into the event at the last minute, started the day on two-under but had slipped to four-over when the hooter sounded.

He’d just gone 6-6, dropping five shots in the process, as the conditions turned nasty on the Greg Norman-designed Al Mouj course.

“There were light winds in the morning coming from the north-east and suddenly, at approximately 11:00, we experienced a sandstorm with winds between 15 and 25 miles per hour blowing from the south-west (inland), with gusts between 30 and 40mph,” said tournament director Miguel Vidaor.

American Amy Olson leads at the halfway stage in the HSBW Women's World Championship in Singapore. Picture: Getty Images

“Widespread movement of balls on the front-nine greens occurred at 11:38, which is when play was suspended. We continued to monitor the situation, but the wind did not subside in the afternoon and the decision was made to suspend play for the day. We will resume the second round at 07:40 on Saturday morning.”

David Drysdale is one-under for the tournament with five holes to play in his second round, with Bob MacIntyre one-over after 16 holes.

Among those still to start out in the second round is Scott Jamieson, who opened with a 67 to sit one shot off the overnight lead.

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Solheim Cup captain Catriona Matthew watches her tee shot during the second round at Sentosa Golf Club in Singapore. Picture: Getty Images

Carly Booth is looking for “more of the same” after getting off to a promising start in the ActewAGL Canberra Classic. The 26-year-old carded a four-under-par 67 at Royal Canberra to sit joint-fifth, two shots behind American pacesetter Amelia Lewis.

“It was just patience today,” said Booth after her round. “I played pretty solid. I made a really good eagle on the par-5 15th and had three birdies and a bogey, so I’m hoping for more of the same over the next couple of days.”

Her card contained two 2s - at the sixth and 11th - while her only bogey came at the par-4 seventh.

“I wasn’t really connecting with my driver, but it wasn’t going too far off line so I was still in play,” she added.

“When I needed to scramble, I scrambled well, so it was all quite good and I can’t complain.”

Lewis, a 28-year-old from Jacksonville in Florida, set the pace with a bogey-free effort to sit a shot ahead of Sweden’s Caroline Hedwall, Finland’s Noora Komulainen and Manon de Roey from Belgium.

Kylie Henry was next best among the Scottish contingent with a 69, which left her sitting just outside the top 20.

Michele Thomson mixed three birdies with three bogeys as she signed for a 72, one less than Gemma Dryburgh, while Kelsey Macdonald had to settle for a 75.

Defending champion Jiyai Shin, who is bidding for a title hat-trick at Royal Canberra, opened with a 70.

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A week after being involved in a “backstopping” incident, American Amy Olson fired a three-under-par 69 to take the lead at the 2019 HSBC Women’s World Championship after 36 holes.

Olson’s second round was highlighted by an eagle on the par-5 5th hole, where she struck a 5-iron to 20 feet and made the putt. She then made two birdies and a bogey on the back nine to lead the 60-player field by two strokes.

“Today I was hitting it really well, so I like to go for it on those kinds of days,” she said after mkving to seven-under-par at Sentosa Golf Club in Singapore.

“But I feel like I stayed within myself and kind of played smart golf. So that’s really important.”

Thailand’s Ariya Jutanugarn, winner of the Aberdeen Standard Investments Ladies Scottish Open at Gullane last year, is tied for second along with Azahara Munoz (Spain), Inbee Park (Republic of Korea), Minjee Lee (Australia) and Jodi Ewart Shadoff (England).

“I have never won in Asia so if I can win here, it’s going to be like my dream come true,” said a grinning Jutanugarn, the world No 1.

Solheim Cup captain Catriona Matthew, who secured an invitation for the event, followed her opening 77 with a 75 to sit joint-54th on eight-over.

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Aboyne’s Shannon McWilliam is through to the quarter-finals in the Spanish Women’s Amateur Championship at Zaudin Golf in Seville.

The 2018 Curtis Cup player will meet England’s Isobel Wardle in last eight after recording two victories on the opening day of the knock-out phase.

She triumped by 3&2 in the morning against Austrian Isabella Holpfer before adding a 4&2 success over Germany’s Sophia Zeeb.

McWilliam was left to fly the Saltire after compatriots Connie Jaffrey, Hannah Darling and Chloe Goadby failed to make the top 32 after two stroke-play qualifying rounds.

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Walker Cup hopeful Euan Walker rounded off another strong performance by claiming a top-10 finish in the South African Stroke Play Championship in Stellenbosch.

A closing 72 gave the Kilmarnock (Barassie) player a 10-under-par 278 total at De Zalze Golf Club, where he ended up joint-seventh.

In an event won by home player Jayden Schaper, Liberton’s Kieran Cantley finished joint-11th after he signed off with a 74 for seven-under.

Balmore’s James Wilson, the only other Scot to make the cut, signed off with a 69 for a four-under total and a share of 27th spot.

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Four rising Scottish stars have been picked to represent ‘Team Tom Watson’ in next week’s

Major Champions Invitational.

Evanna Hynd (Lundin), Eilidh Henderson (Loretto School), Cormac Sharpe (Blairgowrie) and Cameron Adam (Royal Burgess) will be flying the flag for the five-time Open champion in an event taking place in Florida.

The tournament was created by six-time major champion Nick Faldo, with teams also representing Jordan Spieth, Jack Nicklaus, Michelle Wie and Brooks Koepka.

“We would like to thank Sir Nick Faldo and Tom Watson for the opportunity to send four players from our male and female teams to play in the Invitational,” said Scottish Golf performance director Clare Queen.

“The tournament was a great success last year, providing players with an excellent week of golf and education and our players this year are really looking forward to competing.”

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Blairgowrie has unveiled Bradley Neil as a club ambassador and he will also sport the club badge in a new clothing deal supported by Glenmuir.

“Bradley represented the golf club superbly in his junior years and was made an honorary member in recognition of his Amateur Championship win and selection for the Junior Ryder Cup,” said managing secretary Steven Morgan.

“He has regularly supported events at the golf club, encouraged our junior section at every opportunity and profiled the club on the European stage.

“We felt it was timely to offer support and encouragement as he bids to regain his European Tour card.”