Home favourite Connor Syme is loving the opportunity to play in the Rolex Series as he prepares to tee it up on home soil at the Aberdeen Standard Investments Scottish Open.
The Scot took the ninth card at the 2017 Qualifying School and while his exemption category meant he narrowly missed out on playing at the BMW PGA Championship, he has played in every one of the European Tour's prestige events since.
He missed the cut at the Italian Open but seven days later holed a monster putt on the last to finish solo second at the Shot Clock Masters and is now up to 125th on the Race to Dubai Rankings presented by Rolex.
That puts the Drumoig native - who turns 23 on Wednesday - in with a fighting chance of keeping his playing privileges for next season, a feat he would be delighted with in his debut season.
“I think getting my European Tour card would be a great achievement for me this year,” he said.
“I had a few more opportunities now than I might have had at the start of the year, getting into the Rolex Series, this is going to be my fourth Rolex Series Event. Start of the year, hopefully you get an invite and you have an opportunity, but it's been great.
“I've had a lot of good opportunities, find myself in a pretty good position. Race to Dubai is not too far away, I guess, the magic number - 110. That would be a great step in my career, having a full schedule next year and being able to plan a full schedule.
“This year, if I got into the top 110, my team would look at it as a great season.
“There's been quite a lot of positives but a few missed cuts I've not been too pleased about. It's all there, first year on Tour, new courses and stuff like that. It's been close and now I feel like I've been competing every week, unfortunately around the cut mark. Always a lot of pressure around every shot.
“It's been great. I've obviously enjoyed my first year on Tour but hopefully that can kick over the edge, hopefully this week.”
This year, if I got into the top 110, my team would look at it as a great season - Connor Syme
Syme has played a European Tour event on Scottish soil before at last season's Alfred Dunhill Links Championship and he is looking forward to some home comforts at Gullane Golf Club this week.
“I'm mega excited, definitely,” he said. “There's been a fair amount of chat about it over the last few weeks with friends and family and stuff.
“It's a massive event. I've had a few more messages than normal, I guess, a lot of people excited that I'm playing and I'm looking forward to it.
“I'm seeing my girlfriend this week, which doesn't happen very often, it's nice. My dad's down, he walked a few holes with me yesterday and carried a bag.
“It's pretty relaxed but I'm looking forward to getting kicked off on Thursday.”
