By Martin Dempster

Copyright scotsman

Connor Syme is hoping to have “a lot left in the tank” as the DP World Tour reaches the business end of the season, with $38.5 million plus ten PGA Tour cards set to be up for grabs over the next couple of months. This week’s $3.25 million FedEx Open de France comes before a break in the schedule for the Ryder Cup before players compete in the $5 million Alfred Dunhill Links Championship in Scotland. The last European event of the season is then the $3.25 million Open de Espana presented by Madrid before $4 million will be on offer in both the DP World India Championship and the Genesis Championship in Korea. The campaign concludes with two Play-Off events in the UAE – the $9 million Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship and the $10 million DP World Tour Championship in Dubai. In addition to the monetary rewards on offer, the battle for those covered PGA Tour cards – Bob MacIntyre secured one of them two years ago – will also be concluded over the coming few weeks. “There’s still loads to play for,” said Syme, who landed his maiden win on the circuit in the KLM Open in June and sits 39th in the Race to Dubai Rankings after handing himself a timely boost by finishing just outside the top 30 in the BMW PGA Championship on Sunday. “I haven’t played that much through the summer in a bid to try and hopefully have a lot left in the tank towards the end of the year. I’ve felt over the last couple of years that I’ve played a lot and not had much left in the tank. “Obviously, it’s massive tournaments we are talking about, but I am just trying to do it differently. I am playing one less event this year and it will hopefully make a bit of a difference. By fuelling up with a lot of energy, hopefully I can finish strong at the end of the season. “India is probably the only one I will miss as there are a few natural breaks in there. The next run of events looks good and I am excited for it.” The top 50 in the standings after the Abu Dhabi event get into the season finale the following week, with Ramsay jumping eight spots to 70th on the back of finishing just behind Syme at Wentworth but feeling it had been a missed opportunity. “I feel like I didn’t get anything from the last two rounds,” said the four-time tour winner of having opened with scores of 66-69 to sit handily-placed heading into the weekend but then signing off with a brace of 72s. “I feel like they should have been a couple of two under and four shots would have seen me finish on 13 under, which is a massive difference in points. It is a move in the right direction, but I am still effing pissed off at the moment.” This week’s event in France is being held at Golf de Saint-Nom-La-Bretèche as opposed to Le Golf National, where it had been staged for the last 22 years. “I’ve never played there,” admitted Syme. “But Ryan (McGuigan, his caddie) has been there before for the Seve Trophy. I’ve heard good things, so hopefully it is in good order and I am looking forward to it as well.” Ramsay is keeping his fingers crossed for a firm and fast course after the West Course at Wentworth was a lot softer than he reckoned it should have been, even allowing for the fact it was a bit wet at times during the Rolex Series event won by Swede Alex Noren. “I remember it being firm and fast and having to shape shots into greens and fairways,” mused the Edinburgh-based Aberdonian. “Firm and fast is becoming a rarity in professional golf. That doesn’t help me, but it makes the golf course better and more testing.” Five-time major winner Brooks Koepka heads the field at Golf de Saint-Nom-La-Bretèche, where Syme and Ramsay will be joined in flying the Saltire by Grant Forrest, Ewen Ferguson, Calum Hill and Scott Jamieson.