Golf

Paul Lawrie is predicting “big things” for Connor Syme after helping the 22-year-old amateur prepare for his major debut in the 146th Open Championship in Southport.

Sandy Lyle may have been “dandy” yesterday, but that wasn’t the case here nine years ago. The 1985 winner was downright miserable, in fact, when he walked off after just 10 holes in the opening round in dismal conditions.

Justin Rose is in the “do-it-now phase” of his career as the Englishman bids to improve on his astonishing first effort in the Open Championship at Royal Birkdale as a 17-year-old amateur.

Tiger Woods was once as short as 9/4 to win the Open Championship. It was probably after he’d romped to a 15-shot success in the 2000 US Open at Pebble Beach and duly vindicated those short odds by winning just as impressively a few weeks later at St Andrews, where he finished eight strokes clear of the field.

Lee Westwood insists he has not been “unsettled” heading into this week’s Open Championship by his shock management split.

An exciting week for Connor Syme has already got even more exciting after the 22-year-old Scottish amateur landed in the same group as 1995 winner John Daly, pictured left, in the opening two rounds of the 146th Open Championship.

Just over two years ago, Tommy Fleetwood virtually went unrecognised as he sat in a cafe in Gullane having breakfast on the Saturday morning of the Scottish Open. Partly, perhaps, because he wasn’t dressed in his golf gear and looked more like a rock singer with his long hair. The fact his form had started to take a dip around then also attributed to that instance of anonymity, even in golf-mad East Lothian, but how things have changed for the Englishman in the interim.

If it was based purely on attendance figures, the Scottish Open had its backside kicked by the Irish Open as the events were staged on consecutive weeks on links courses for the first time.

Scottish amateur Connor Syme has landed a dream draw in this week’s 146th Open Championship at Royal Birkdale

American Bryson DeChambeau completed the line-up for the 146th Open Championship after winning the John Deere Classic to secure the final Royal Birkdale berth.

Golf fans were left startled at the Aberdeen Asset Management Scottish Open taking place at Dundonald Links Golf Course in Troon.

Spain’s Rafael Cabrera Bello claimed his first victory since 2012 by beating England’s Callum Shinkwin in a play-off for the Aberdeen Asset Management Scottish Open.

What is it about Royal Birkdale and amateur dramatics? Most famously, of course, when Justin Rose chipped in at the last to tie for fourth in the 1998 Open Championship but also Chris Wood. Nine years ago, on the event’s last visit to the Southport venue, the big Bristolian also enjoyed the thrill of finishing to the fore – a share of sixth spot in his case – in golf’s oldest major. “If I can avoid the trousers and the hair, I’d happily watch it all the time,” he said, laughing, of a DVD from that event.

Golf, eh. What a fickle game. Just ask Dustin Johnson. Flying heading into The Masters earlier in the year until he took a tumble and injured himself, the world No.1 looks a lot more human now going into the season’s third major.

Talk about a quick learning curve. Two shots into his Open Championship debut, Adam Scott was hoping the hallowed ground of the Old Course at St Andrews would open and swallow him up.

Some of the sport’s greatest players have picked up the Claret Jug at this year’s Open venue, writes Conor Matchett

There’s nothing Ian Poulter likes more than a good old battle. We know that from the Ryder Cup and, in particular, that unforgettable Saturday afternoon at Medinah in 2012. Just as he relished digging deep that day to finish with five birdies and give Europe momentum to match the event’s greatest fightback 24 hours later, so was fighting the elements in the third round of the Aberdeen Asset Management Scottish Open at Dundonald Links in Ayrshire.

Chasing his biggest win in the professional ranks, Blairgowrie’s Bradley Neil will take a two-shot lead into the final round of the Italian Challenge Open in Sardinia.