6 hours ago
I'm a Rangers trialist turned European Tour winning golfer who ditched football because my dad bribed me
Dumfries star Conor Syme won his first DP Tour title after winning the KLM Open in the Netherlands last weekend
Scottish golfer Connor Syme has joked that he had to be bribed to get into the putting game after having trials at Rangers as a kid.
The Dumfries star - who won the KLM Open on Sunday to pick up his first DP World Tour title - was also involved in the youth-set up at Queen of the South before he was eventually persuaded to switch sports to golf.
Syme turned professional in 2017 after enjoying great success as an amateur, winning the 2016 Australian Amateur Championship and picking up a medal in the 2014 Amateur Championship at Royal Porthcaw.
And the 29-year-old - who is coached by his father Stuart - a former Scotland, GB and Ireland star - has revealed just how his transition from football into the famous old sport came about.
Speaking to the DP World Tour, he said: "I think I was much more into football when I was younger to be honest.
"I did have trials for Rangers though. But I think from what my dad and my whole family were really good at, like my dad obviously being a golfer, I was never forced into doing it. And I think that's why I am even doing it (golf) now.
"I wanted to. I found it by myself. I was playing football for Queen of the South at time in Dumfries where I grew up.
"We were right down at the bottom of Scotland and we'd be playing teams like Elgin that's like a six hour drive but you'd meet halfway and you'd only get half an hour (on the pitch), and I was lile 'oh this is brutal'.
"Eventually I just fell in love with golf and my dad kinda coached me from there and got me into it.
"He did have to bribe me at the start though. I remember playing the at the Scottish Under 14s and it still wasn't my love at that point.
"But he was like 'right son if I get you this Black Series Odyssey putter, would you go and play?
"I was like right. fine, I'll go and play if you get me that putter."
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