Connor Syme admits he already feels excited at the prospect of playing in front of home fans at the Scottish Open this week – and is aiming to build on last month’s KLM Open triumph.
The Scot celebrated his first European Tour win in Amsterdam but is back on home soil and looking to savour the experience at a tournament he feels is getting bigger by the year.
Syme impressed at the Renaissance Club last year, finishing 15th, and witnessed the jubilation as fellow Scot Robert MacIntyre won the tournament. He says there was something special about the occasion and is looking forward to more of the same.
“It’s obviously awesome,” he told STV. “Just looking around, it’s grown so much over the last four or five years especially.
“It’s always been a massive tournament but it keeps going from strength to strength. It’s just brilliant to be a part of it.
“The support, obviously from the Scottish fans is really cool.
“I finished well last year in 15th but watching Bob and the support he got, and that scene at the end, was just awesome.
“It’s probably hard to replicate that anywhere in the world and it was just really, really cool.”
The 29-year-old is now aiming to build on his success in the Netherlands and improve again in North Berwick, with the added incentive of possible qualification for The Open Championship if he is among the top three players who hasn’t already booked their place for Royal Portrush.
“There’s always something you want to achieve and I really, really want to play in The Open,” Syme admitted.
“There’s no denying that and, the same as everyone teeing up this week, if you’re not in already then that’s definitely a goal.
“Hopefully I can play well. When I look back at my win in Holland, I was definitely brilliant at bringing myself back into the present.
“That’s hopefully something I can carry on with this week and I’m hoping my good golf can flourish from there.
“It’s all positives. It’s been such an amazing feeling to get that first win and to come back here as a winner on tour is really special.
“I’m glad I got to play a tournament last week, though it didn’t go quite as well as I liked, and hopefully I can build on the stuff that got me that win.
“I’m excited for this week. It’s somewhere I have done well in the past and I’m excited to be back in Scotland.”
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