Connor Syme is glad to be competing “pain-free” again after a back injury as he makes his first defence of a DP World Tour title at the KLM Open.
After struggling for form over the early weeks of 2026, the Scot sustained the injury while weight training at home during a break from competitive action following the Joburg Open and retired as a result of the issue on his initial return at the Volvo China Open.
He has since made three starts, making the cut at the Soudal Open in Belgium, and is now preparing for his third event on the European Swing in as many weeks as he returns to the scene of his breakthrough triumph at The International 12 months ago.
"So cool to be back," he said. "It's not super unusual, but obviously it's great that it's around the same venue and getting to properly reminisce on the memories from last year. I'm really excited, really excited.
"I think to be honest, in the last couple of weeks it's just been nice to be kind of pain free.
"My form at the start of the year was a little bit here nor there and I had six weeks off and I injured myself at the start of those six weeks.
"So, I was kind of behind the eight ball a little bit, went back to China a little bit too early and hurt myself a little bit more. So it's been quite difficult.
"It's the first time I've been properly injured, to be honest, in my full career."
He added: "There's always stuff you want to try and improve on.
"[Being] relaxed probably isn't the right word but having a nice quiet intensity is what I am trying to get back to."
But Syme now feels able again to hit shots freely, with his shot-making a key reason behind his victory in what were challenging conditions last year that saw the tournament disrupted on three different occasions.
In what was his 182nd start on the DP World Tour, Syme held his nerve to claim a two-shot victory after a week where players faced strong winds and heavy rain showers in Amsterdam.
Inclement weather is forecast again this week in the Dutch capital, and the 30-year-old is hopeful he can harness his experience of competing in conditions similar to those he would have faced growing up near the east coast of Scotland.
"I think it's quite similar to home in a lot of ways," he said of this week's host venue.
"Although the undulations are obviously a lot different, it's quite severe in a lot of areas, so it's not really as linksy there.
"As for the tee shots, it's very much what you would see at home, with thick grass on the sides and quite open space, but quite narrow at the same time.
"I guess it's just kind of what I'm used to playing as a kid, really, and the shots that I was playing last year was all stuff I kind of learned growing up.
"If we're going to get some more of that weather this week, then it's quite helpful.
"Obviously, it requires a lot more shots. If it is sunny and perfect weather, everyone plays the same way but you'll notice in the wind and rain that everyone will see it slightly differently and do different stuff for that."
