Synchronous generators (alternator) are having short circuited damper winding/rods(to reduced hunting/oscillation for sudden load change), hence when field winding is opened, and machine is connected with mains, the synchronous machine will start working as induction generator(as rotor mechanical input is available, and no magnetic field produced by pole, rotor runs with negative slip),rotor will loose synchronisam. If pole residual magnetism exist and as machine is running at synchronous speed, machine will not loose synchronisam, and machine will continue to work as alternator.