The Open Qualifying Series: Super Syme signs for Sixty-Six to share the lead in Spain
Connor Syme posts best opening round of the season as the Global Race to St Andrews continues at the 99th Open de Espana presented by Madrid
Connor Syme is tied for the lead with fellow Scot Grant Forrest and Spanish star Eugenio Chacarra after a round of 66 in the first round of the Open de Espana at Club de Campo in Madrid.
Syme headed into the week off the back of a decent showing at the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship, where he finished in a tie for 11th place, shooting rounds of 70, 67, 67 and 71.
The 31-year-old began his week in Spain in simply sensational style with birdies at his first two holes (from the 10th), and lit up the back nine of Club de Campo, with three further birdies at the 14th, 15th and 17th for an opening nine holes of 30. Connor kept his score together on the inward nine featuring 1 birdie and 1 bogey to sign for a round of 66, and the joint lead.
He was understandably happy after his round, but felt he had let a few chance get away.
"Yeah, very happy, played really well, so it was nice to have a really solid start in an amazing and a great golf course", said Syme after his round.
"It was a bit frustrating. I think, it's very tricky. You know, I started on the back nine and then obviously got off to quite a good start, and I could see the scoring wasn't very good when I got to the turn. So, yeah, a little bit offline off the tee, and then, you know, I didn't really play the hole, like, that badly, but that was just how easy it is to drop a shot out there, to be fair, but yeah, overall, really happy.
I mean, obviously, in a general sense, I've got my card for next year, so it's not that the stress of that. It's funny, my wife's quite heavily pregnant at the moment, so I wasn't actually here until Tuesday night because we had a bit of a scare thinking it was going to come early. So to say it's, like, obviously super, super important, but that's obviously way more important. So yeah, preparation was a bit funny. I guess it kind of puts into perspective a little bit and I don't really know what's happening after this week. I'm just going to keep my foot down and see what happens, but yeah, it's been a good start and I'm looking forward to hopefully a good weekend."
Remarkably, Connor has only played in four major championships in his 9-year professional career, and hasn't played one since the 2023 Open Championship at Royal Liverpool. One spot in the field for the 155th Open Championship at the Home of Golf, St Andrews, is available to the highest non-exempt finisher this week, and it would be a huge thing for Connor if he could qualify for an Open Championship at home.
This week's Open de Espana Champion will also be receiving an invitation from Augusta National Golf Club to play in the 2027 Masters Tournament. So the next few days could be career-changing for Connor, if he can continue this improved form into the weekend.
Home fans were also given a thrill on Thursday as Eugenio Chacarra continued his incredible DP World Tour season with a round of 66 to tie the lead with Syme and Forrest. Chacarra is putting together an unlikely bid to win the DP World Tour's Race to Dubai, lift the Harry Vardon Trophy, secure one of the 10 PGA TOUR cards and a place in all four majors next season.
Chacarra broke his toe in a freak accident getting a glass of water at home in the United States last week, but that did not prevent him from giving the Spanish fans entertainment on the first day. The 26-year-old is bidding for a stunning hattrick of three of Europe's Oldest National Open Championships, after winning the Dutch and Italian Opens in successive weeks earlier this year, and made a spectacular start with two eagles, four birdies and three bogeys.
Despite his tremendous golf, he admitted he was playing through severe pain. "Yeah, it's not good, not good", he said after the round. "I suffered a lot since hole 16. It's been tough. I don't know what's going to happen tomorrow, but obviously I need to take care of myself.
Obviously, I got a good round, but just how I feel physically, it's not great. I don’t know, it’s just hard. It’s a struggle. It doesn’t really hurt when I’m swinging. That’s the only good thing. It’s why I can still make a score, but it’s just been really tough to walk. I made it today but the pain I had in the last 12 holes walking is something that I don’t know if it’s worth it because I’ve got a lot to play for in the next couple of weeks. So, I’ll just sit down with the team and see what we decide because it was tough.
Obviously, this one is very important, that’s why I can tell you right now if it was another event, I wouldn’t have teed it up this week. I just need to see with the team, doctor and my physio and see what we can do."
There has to be a doubt about his continued play this week at the least, and what damage could he be doing for the crucial climax to the season if he carries on playing? He has secured one of the PGA TOUR cards for next season already, but the bid to emulate Seve and Rahm as Spanish winners of the DP World Tour order of merit must be under threat due to the injury.
Scotland's Grant Forrest, winner of the 2025 NEXO Championship at Trump International Golf Links, began his tournament with a fine round of 66 featuring seven birdies and two bogeys to tie Chacarra and Syme as first round leader.
One shot back of the leader is a familiar face. Sergio Garcia has remarkably only won the Open de Espana once, some 24 years ago, but is beginning his life after LIV, and seemingly reinvigorated. The 2017 Masters Champion has stated his ambition to be on the European Ryder Cup team next September, and he got off to a near perfect start at Club de Campo. An eagle, four birdies and two bogeys saw him post a round of 67, and a tournament at home in front of his loyal fans could be the spark which ignites a charge to one last Ryder Cup appearance.
Michael Stewart's career-changing season continues this week at Club de Campo, after his remarkable fourth place finish at the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship, and his opening round of 72 leaves him in a tie for 47th place in Madrid, and in position to make another cut. Michael decided to take up the opportunity of the playing in the Open de Espana off the back of his top 10 finish in St Andrews, and is set to secure a spot on the HotelPlanner Tour next season through a higher category than he would have done via the Tartan Pro Tour.
Starting at the 10th hole he birdied the par-five fourteenth, before a bogey at the par-four eighteenth saw him level par through nine holes. Bogeys at the 1st and 8th holes saw him finish over par despite a second birdie of the round at the 4th, but it is a solid beginning to the tournament for the Scot.
Race to Dubai leader Patrick Reed opened the Open de Espana with a round of 73, and will face a fight to make the cut on Friday and preserve his lead at the top of the DP World Tour rankings ahead of the DP World India Championship, which Rory McIlroy plays in next week.
Incredibly after day one in Madrid, none of the top 20 are currently exempt to The Open next year and only Sergio Garcia is an invitee to The Masters, so we could be in for a truly epic battle for a single spot in both of golf's two most prestigious tournaments over the weekend.
SHANK, by Matt Hooper
Matt Hooper is an Associate Member of the Sports Journalists Association
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