Thief puts a dampener on a great campaign in Oz

But despite the bright outlook on the course, the 23-year-old from Drumoig left Australia with a rain cloud over his head.

Connor made the cut at both the ISPS Handa Vic Open in Victoria and the ISPS Handa World Super 6 in Perth.

It proved his practice work, featured on the Drumoig Golf Centre’s Instagram page over the festive period, had helped.

Connor took the Vic Open form into the next event, where he came through a play-off to reach the weekend’s matchplay format.

In his first tie he beat fellow Scot Bob MacIntyre by one hole, before losing to Kiwi Gareth Paddison by the same margin in the second.

But the loss told only half the story, with Connor forced to play the final stages with a borrowed putter after his own, a custom made Ping putter, was one of a few stolen from the clubhouse bag store.

Connor said: “It took me ages to get the putter right with Ping; I’d been using a Scottie Cameron until then.

“But we’re working with them now so hopefully we’ll have a new one by the time I’m out again.”

We’ll have more from Connor in print and online next week.