Connor Syme’s hunt for a European Tour victory goes on after a 14th hole disaster at the Gran Canaria Lopesan Open but the Fifer moved back into the top 50 on the Race to Dubai with a share of fifth place.
In blinding sunshine on the Atlantic holiday resort at Meloneras Golf, it was a “snowman” – a quadruple bogey eight – at the 14th that ended Syme’s already faint hopes of overhauling runaway leader Garrick Higgo of South Africa.
The 21-year-old from Johannesburg didn’t flinch at all with a two-shot lead at the top of the field, and was never headed all afternoon. Germany’s Maximilian Keiffer got closest with a closing 61 to finish three back, but the South African was coasting in comfortably from the turn.
Syme had got to within two shots back sharing second at the start of play after rounds of 61 and 62 on Friday and Saturday more than repaired the damage of an opening one-over 71.
I think it's safe to say @connor_syme feels comfortable around Meloneras Golf 🏌️♂️#GranCanariaLopesanOpen pic.twitter.com/X94rRYT3Ok
— The European Tour (@EuropeanTour) April 25, 2021
Leader Higgo unflappable all day
However, despite a couple of early birdies to start his Sunday he found himself three back quickly when Higgo eagled the long fourth. With the South African better than steady, the Scot’s bogey at the eighth left him with probably too much to make up going into the back nine.
Connor had a stab at it, however, just missing his putt for an eagle two at the tenth, chipping in at the 11th for birdie and then rolling in a 15-foot birdie putt at the clifftop short 12th.
No putter required @connor_syme 🕳️#GranCanariaLopesanOpen pic.twitter.com/kStC99q1pb
— The European Tour (@EuropeanTour) April 25, 2021
That was only good enough to get one back on Higgo, and Syme found himself four back again when the South African birdied the long 13th and the Scot missed from five feet to match him.
Syme was still well-placed in third for any faltering by Higgo, but instead it was his own tee shot that went out of bounds at 14, and his second off the tee found a fairway bunker.
He was still short of the green in four and got flier out of the rough through the back, and three more to get down saw him fall from 20-under to 16-under.
Late rally for two birdies
Connor showed plenty of the right stuff to rally for birdies in the final two holes to get back into a share of fifth place with Thorbjorn Olesen. The finish did ensure the Scot moved to 50th in the Race to Dubai rankings, and it was a closing 68 for an eighteen-under total of 262.
TOUGH SCHOOL…🤷🏼♂️
Finishing -13 most tournaments would result in placing very high on @EuropeanTour but not necessarily so this week
It's enough though for a tie of 29th for @CalumHill_golf at #GranCanariaLopesanOpen
On now to Tenerife for two weeks…🛫🏝
⛳🇪🇦🏌🏼♂️😎 pic.twitter.com/pWmI9AruwB
— Bounce (@bouncespmgt) April 25, 2021
Calum Hill, who is 24th in the rankings, was back in a share of 29th place after a final round 67 saw him finish on 13-under. Richie Ramsay shot a 68 to land on the same mark, the three-time tour winner from Aberdeen’s best finish this season.
Scott Jamieson, who had been one off the lead after the first round, finished back in a share of 38th after two rounds of 68 over the weekend.
In the Challenge Tour Limpopo Championship in South Africa, Scotland’s Craig Howie was the highest-placed European finisher in a tie for fifth place.
