'Awesome' Syme books Open place

This year’s Crail Battle Trophy winner, and the former Australian Amateur champion, posted rounds of 71 and 67 in difficult conditions in Ayrshire to tie on four under par with American Julian Suri.

Ryan McCarthy from Australia secured the final qualifying spot.

“I played awesome, especially to be bogey-free this afternoon,” said Syme, who sits at number seven in the world amateur golf rankings.

“It is amazing to be in The Open and I was thinking about that out there even though I was trying to stay in the moment.

“The first Open my dad (PGA pro Stuart) took me to was at Troon in 2004 and I was buzzing after getting Phil Mickelson’s ball at St Andrews in 2005.”

Syme joins fellow Scots Paul Lawrie, Sandy Lyle, Russell Knox and Martin Laird in the Open field from 20 – 23 July.

For more on Syme’s achievement, pick up a copy of this week’s Fife Herald or St Andrews Citizen.