Scots Connor Syme and Sam Locke qualify for Royal Portrush with Brandon Wu

Brandon Wu, a 22-year-old American amateur, could be a strong contender on the Antrim coast for the Silver Medal, won last year at Carnoustie by Locke when he was still in the non-paid ranks, on the strength of a polished performance that earned him an impressive victory in the 36-hole shoot-out at Fairmont St Andrews.

In breezy conditions, he followed a brilliant 64 in the morning on the Fife coast with a 67 to finish three shots clear of the field on nine under par, and, with this eye-catching effort coming hot on the heels of a joint 35th finish in the US Open at Pebble Beach, the Californian looks set for a bright future once he turns professional after the Walker Cup later this year. “I kept it out of the long stuff and holed everything in the second round,” said the Stanford University graduate.

It was a day, though, when both Syme and Locke also had ample reason to feel proud of their respective performances in securing the other two spots up for grabs in the 148th edition of the game’s oldest major as it returns to Royal Portrush for the first time since 1951.

Fifer Syme, who shared top spot with American Julian Suri at Gailes Links in Ayrshire two years ago to make his major debut at Royal Birkdale, shot two 67s to finish as Wu’s closest challenger, sparking his second effort with a burst of three straight birdies at the start of the afternoon round.

It was another classy display from Syme, who won the Turkish Airlines Challenge earlier in the year and is now relishing a return to the course where he reached the semi-finals in the 2014 Amateur Championship, losing to eventual winner and fellow-Scot Bradley Neil.

“The experience of qualifying at Gailes really helped me today,” said Syme as he savoured a second success in this event. “I didn’t feel nervous at all today, which was great. I stuck to my gameplan and doing what I was doing.” Recalling that last appearance in a R&A event at Portrush, he added: “It was my first year as a senior golfer. I struggled a bit at the start of that year but that was a kind of breakthrough.”

The 23-year-old showed real character to earn his return trip across the Irish Sea after an in-round dispute with one of his playing partners, Spanish amateur Eugenio Lopez-Chacarra, as the Scot objected to noise made by the youngster’s caddie.

“It was the kind of thing that if you had a five-minute discussion while playing, you’d sort it out easily, but obviously you’re in the battle and both have tunnel vision about what you need to do,” said Syme. “We spoke about it afterwards and we’re good. It’s not ideal and I hate having to do that sort of thing, but I managed to keep my concentration.”

Since finding himself in the spotlight 12 months ago, Locke has struggled to find his feet in the paid ranks. Being back on this stage, though, was exactly what the 20-year-old Aberdonian was looking for. “I had been playing some nice stuff coming into it, but just not quite putting it together into a full tournament,” he said. “I knew it wasn’t far away and I just needed something to get me going and, thankfully, today was that day.”

After an opening 69, Lawrie’s prodigy feared his bid was about to come unstuck as he pulled his first tee shot in the afternoon at the tenth into heavy rough and hit a provisional. “As soon as I hit the shot, I thought that was a lost ball and I was lucky to find it,” said Locke. Making a par-4 was massive for momentum. “I laid up and had about 120 yards in for my third shot and made an up and down, which was lovely, before making an eagle at the next after hitting a 7-iron to about six feet. It shows what momentum can do in this game,” he added.

As the second round progressed, Locke found himself in a battle with two fellow-Scots, Euan Walker and Paul O’Hara, for the third and final spot. Unfortunately, it was a case of third time unlucky for Barassie man Walker as he missed out again after already being pipped for exempt spots up for grabs in both the Amateur Championship and European Amateur Championship over the past two weeks. Helped by a brilliant up and down over a wall to salvage a par at the ninth - his closing hole on a composite course made up of holes from both the Kittocks and Torrance courses - that spot went to Locke as he repeated his feat from 12 months earlier at The Renaissance Club.

Reminded that Lawrie came through final qualifying at Downfield as he went on to become Open champion 20 years ago at Carnoustie, Locke admitted with a smile: “Well, wouldn’t that be a story.”

Elsewhere, qualifiers included 2017 Scottish Open runner-up Callum Shinkwin, former Amateur champion Garrick Porteous and English amateur Curtis Snipes.