Connor Syme ready to get get back on tour but Calum Hill forced to withdraw

Drumoig's Connor Syme returns to competitive golf next week. Photo by Stuart Franklin/Getty Images

The 26-year-old is this year part of the rebranded DP World Tour, more recently known as the European Tour.

The Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship is the first event of the year for tour players and Syme will join a healthy Scottish contingent taking part when it begins on January 20.

Other Scots who are currently in the field are Bob MacIntyre, Stephen Gallacher, Grant Forrest, Colin Montgomerie, Richie Ramsay, David Law, Scott Jamieson, Marc Warren and David Drysdale.

One notable name missing from that list is Kinross pro Calum Hill.

Last year was Hill’s breakthrough on the European Tour, the 27-year-old notching his maiden win at the Cazoo Classic, played at London Golf Club.

But his end to 2021 was disrupted after he suffered ill effects following an insect bite.

He was forced to withdraw after the opening round of the Portugal Masters in November.

Hill then had to make the same difficult decision after continuing to feel the effects a fortnight later in the season-ending DP World Tour Championship in Dubai.

His management company Bounce confirmed this week: “Sadly, we have had to withdraw Calum Hill from Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship due to the continued niggling leg injury he sustained end of last year.”

The Dubai Desert Classic will follow the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship.