Latest news with #BMWInternationalOpen
Metro
15-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Metro
Dan Brown: ‘Quitting the game for six months was the best thing I ever did'
Dan Brown certainly does not possess several hallmarks of your typical elite sportsperson. The softly-spoken 30-year-old golfer does not go to the gym, pays little attention to his weekly earnings, and can occasionally be spotted smoking a cigarette during rounds. But you have to say it's working for him. After his second DP World Tour win at the BMW International Open a couple of weekends ago, Brown is now 108th in the world and with a real chance of securing a golden ticket to the PGA Tour next season. It marks a significant rise from this time 12 months ago, when the Yorkshireman pitched up at Royal Troon for his major championship debut as a complete outsider and ranked 272nd in the world. But after a superb first-round 65 saw him take the first-round lead, Brown spent the weekend tussling with the game's best en route to a £246,000 payday and an impressive tenth-place finish which secured his berth at this year's Open at Royal Portrush. Third and fourth rounds paired alongside former Open champion Shane Lowry and World No1 Scottie Scheffler might have proved a daunting task for many a seasoned pro, but the level-headed Brown relished the task. 'It sounds daft but I wasn't bothered at all,' Brown recalls, speaking to Metro ahead of this week's tournament. 'I think Tiger Woods is probably the only person who could have fazed me if I was standing on the tee alongside them. 'The only weird thing for me was watching my brother (Brown's caddy for the week) just walk and talk with Scottie. You stand back and just think, 'Yeah this is pretty cool'. 'I've always been there for him and tried to help him, and now he's walking down the fairway chatting with the best player in the world. That was definitely a pinch-me moment.' Brown's headline-making week saw overnight interest in his story but the unrelenting news cycle has long since moved on. A career away from the spotlight is what he prefers anyway. 'That's what I like about being a golfer – nobody knows who you are walking down the street,' Brown jokes. 'Even some of the top 20 in the world could walk down a high street and most people wouldn't have a clue, which is a nice thing about golf.' Some might characterise Brown's words as a lack of ambition, but it is quite the opposite. Having turned professional in 2017, it was, in fact, the relentless focus on money and rankings that saw him fall off the Challenge Tour and almost quit the game entirely before the onset of the coronavirus pandemic. 'When I was 22, 23 I was always thinking about how much I'd won or how much I'd lost – that was my downfall,' he explains. 'I did pack it in, and I was going to quit. I didn't touch my clubs for about five or six months, didn't hit a single golf shot. Then Covid hit and I found myself trapped in the house looking for a job. I was 25, living at home, still skint and waking up every day just doing nothing. 'Your mind starts running away with you and one morning I had one of those lightbulb realisations where I was like: 'What on earth are you playing at?' I was giving up on my dream, something I'd wanted since I was about 14.' Refinding his love for the game, Brown worked his way back to the Challenge Tour before reaching the DP World Tour in 2023, where he won in his maiden season at the ISPS Handa World Invitational. 'I wouldn't say it's been smooth sailing – no golfer's career ever is – but it's been steady progression ever since then,' he says. 'Quitting the game for five or six months was probably the best thing I ever did. 'But even then, I didn't think I would get to where I was. I was going back out to just enjoy it and see where I could get to, maybe enjoy a couple of years on tour. 'I probably never thought I was good enough to do what I've done. To have a top ten in a major and to have won on the DP World Tour, I don't even think I dreamt about it.' A knee problem has kept Brown less active than he would have liked this year, but his recent win in Germany means he arrives at the Open in fine fettle. Expectations and attention will be greater on Brown this time around and the Englishman has reason to be confident, having won as an amateur at Portrush back in 2014. But if his long, winding road to this point has taught him anything, it's to stay in his lane and enjoy the ride. 'I'm really looking forward to being back. It's somewhere where I've had success and some good memories,' he ends. 'I'll be in a house with mates so it will be a nice fun week off the golf course but otherwise, nothing changes. To me, it's just another four-day tournament; it just so happens to be the Open and my biggest event of the year.' For more stories like this, check our sport page. Follow Metro Sport for the latest news on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. MORE: Golf fans fume at 'bizarre' ruling as JJ Spaun takes advantage to win US Open
Scotsman
11-07-2025
- Sport
- Scotsman
Grant Forrest's mood and game transformed on 'Costa del Lothian'
Local man sitting handily-placed at halfway stage in Genesis Scottish Open Sign up to our daily newsletter – Regular news stories and round-ups from around Scotland direct to your inbox Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... He reckons it's the 'Costa del Lothian' this week in the shimmering sunshine and Grant Forrest has been firing up the barbecue at his home in Pencaitland feeling a much happier man over the past couple of days. Dejected about his game after signing off in last week's BMW International Open in Munch, the 32-year-old has given himself the boost he was looking for on home soil in the Genesis Scottish Open. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Grant Forrest tees off on the fourth hole on day two of the Genesis Scottish Open at The Renaissance Club |After rounds of 67-68 at The Renaissance Club, where he just happens to be attached, Forrest is heading into the weekend in a promising position on five under in the $9 million Rolex Series event. 'Yes,' he replied, smiling, to being asked if he felt in a better place than Sunday night.'Yesterday was a big day. I started with a bogey, knuckled in and holed a few putts. bogeyed the last, but I was pretty chuffed with that score. Today I didn't quite get the putts to drop, but I only dropped a shot and it was pretty solid.' Forrest came into this event sitting 124th in the DP World Tour's Race to Dubai Rankings. Retaining his card will be the No 1 priority over the next few months, but, more immediately after an encouraging start, he's set up a chance to secure one of three spots up for grabs in The 153rd Open at Royal Portrush next week. 'It feels like that,' he said of how players at this level often discover that they can feel down about their game but it isn't actually too far away from clicking. 'Sometimes just a couple of shots that you hit that you're not comfortable with and you pull them off can turn things around. I'm comfortable on this course and I'm just trying to draw on that as much as I can.' Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad People often talk about East Lothian having its own micro-climate, but the weather so far this week has been off the charts. 'The Costa del Lothian,' said Forrest, who has lived in the area for most of his life. 'We have had it pretty good here this year. To get a cracking week like this for the Scottish Open is brilliant. It's hard to beat links golf when it's dry and sunny.' He laughed when it was pointed out that house prices in the area will be going up on the back of the stunning aerial images of the East Lothian coast being shown on TV around the world. 'It's going on the market tomorrow!' he said of his own house, having recently bought somewhere else in Pencaitland, which is about a 20-minute drive from this week's venue, to live with his wife, Christy, and their young son, Spencer. Asked if it was good to be at home for this week's assignment, Forrest said: 'Yes, one of my best mates, Callum {Stewart], from up north is staying with me this week. I've got the wee man to keep occupied, too.
Scotsman
07-07-2025
- Sport
- Scotsman
'Cool moment' - Scot recalls meeting Rory McIlroy ahead of Scottish Open
Grant Forrest hoping to turn his game around for exciting home gig in East Lothian Sign up to our daily newsletter – Regular news stories and round-ups from around Scotland direct to your inbox Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... Grant Forrest's game isn't where he wants it to be heading into this week's Genesis Scottish Open, but he's still excited to be back rubbing shoulders again with the likes of Rory McIlroy on his home patch. Forrest was an amateur when he teed up in The Open at Muirfield in 2013 and he vividly remembers his first meeting with the man who became just the sixth player to complete a career grand slam by winning The Masters in April. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 'He was practising at Archerfield and I was over there practising as well,' recalled Forrest, who was a Craigielaw member at the time. 'He was there with Lloyd Saltman, who I knew from growing up and, of course, they played in the same Walker Cup team (at Royal County Down in 2007). 'So Lloyd introduced me to him and that was a cool moment as I think he'd already won two majors by then and watching him hit balls was pretty special for me at that stage in my career. Yeah, I remember that.' Grant Forrest pictured in action during the 2023 Genesis Scottish Open at The Renaissance Club |) Forrest, who is based at The Renaissance Club, this week's venue, only got into the field on Sunday thanks to Englishman Dan Brown winning the BMW International Open, which freed up the spot allocated for that event. It will be the seventh successive appearance in the event, finishing 11th behind McIlroy in 2023, but he's heading into this week's assignment in a somewhat downbeat mood after a disappointing opening half to the DP World Tour season. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 'My golf is just not there just now,' he admitted after a poor weekend in the BMW International Open in Munich. 'If it's not one thing that's letting me down, it is something else. On Saturday, I was really good off the tee and I made two 6s on par 5s with mid irons in. You are giving away four shots there. 'That's why I have struggled to actually shoot a low round this year. I don't think I've shot better than four under. I've had plenty of chances, but it's either my putting or my short game or approach play or tee shots. There's constantly something that is way off the mark. 'My longer and mid-irons were exposed last week as the par 5s were playing quite short and what I leave myself with is 4, 5 or 6-irons. You can't be making bogeys when that's the case and it's just been happening way too often this year. It's frustrating as I am pretty long so it gives me those opportunities on the par 5s and it feels as though it is just a waste.' Grand Slam winner Rory McIlroy is among eight of the world's top ten teeing up at The Renaissance Club this week |It could well be that a home appearance and sleeping in his own bed could help the former Scottish Amateur champion get the result he needs to kick-start his season. 'It's a massive event,' he said of the $9 million Rolex Series tournament. 'I love it as I get to stay at home for the week and having lots of family supporting me is really special. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad
Associated Press
07-07-2025
- Sport
- Associated Press
Tearful Brown says winning BMW International Open was 'out-of-body experience' after friend's death
Updated [hour]:[minute] [AMPM] [timezone], [monthFull] [day], [year] MUNICH (AP) — English golfer Daniel Brown was in tears after going through an 'out-of-body experience' in winning the BMW International Open by two strokes on Sunday, days after the death of a close friend. The No. 170-ranked Brown shot a bogey-free 6-under 66 in the final round to capture his second European tour title, after the ISPS Handa World Invitational in 2023. After making his sixth and final birdie of the day at the par-5 18th, Brown walked off the green and started to cry. 'I lost a friend at home last weekend,' Brown said, before pausing and holding back more tears. 'It's for him.' Brown said that was his motivation to win at Golfclub München Eichenried. 'The last two days I kept thinking about him,' he said. 'I tried not to get too emotional in the process. I'm not really too sure what happened today. All day really was like an out-of-body experience. 'He was there with me,' Brown added, 'and it made it a little bit easier.' Brown started the day with a one-shot lead over countryman Jordan Smith, birdied four of his first six holes, and picked up two more birdies coming home to finish on 22-under par for the week. The 30-year-old Brown hadn't had a top-10 finish since February at the Qatar Masters. Smith shot 67 and was alone in second place. ___ AP golf:
Scotsman
07-07-2025
- Sport
- Scotsman
Scots can still have six appeal in home Open plus fore furore
Wider perspective is required when analysing the home Scottish Open field Sign up to our Golf newsletter – Regular news stories and round-ups from around Scotland direct to your inbox Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... It's the question that is now being asked every year: Are enough home players in the field or the Genesis Scottish Open as a result of it now being co-sanctioned by the DP World Tour and PGA Tour? Just six players will be flying the Saltire on this occasion at The Renaissance Club in East Lothian, with defending champion Bob MacIntyre being joined by Connor Syme, Calum Hill, Ewen Ferguson, Grant Forrest and Richie Ramsay. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Bob MacIntyre roars with delight after holing the winning putt in last year's Genesis Scottish Open at The Renaissance Club |Compare that with a total of 11 in the last edition to be just on the DP World Tour schedule in 2021, as well as 13 Germans being in the field for last week's BMW International Open in Munich, and it's perhaps easy to see why the odd eyebrow may be raised among fans heading to Scotland's Golf Coast to cheer on the home players. Held during Aberdeen Asset Management's spell as the title sponsor, a qualifier for Scottish players is no longer held, something that could tick a box in terms of giving unheralded Scots an opportunity to enjoy a dream week rubbing shoulders with some of the game's top players. At the same time, though, it surely has to be recognised that the Genesis Scottish Open is now a Rolex Series event that carries a $9 million prize fund and, therefore, spots in the field can't be handed out just to appease people. 'There is a solution to all these problems and the solution for me is to play better,' declared Ramsay of the sweat he faced over the weekend before securing a spot thanks to Dan Brown winning the BMW International Open to get Grant Forrest into the field after being first reserve and, in turn, freeing up an invitation for Ramsay. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Yes, Scottish golf fans love seeing home players do well on Scottish soil and last year's memorable win for MacIntyre will forever be remembered by those who were there to witness it. Only Scott Jamieson of the current Scots to hold full DP World Tour cards is missing out this week, though, and he's got a chance to secure a PGA Tour card through another co-sanctioned event taking place in Kentucky. So let's try and look at this one with a wider perspective because what a feather it is for Scotland's cap for our home Open to boast one of the strongest fields in golf, with the top five in the world and all four current major champions in the line up on this occasion. Max Keiffer angered one of his playing partners in the BMW International Open in Munich |'Fore' furore as players get heated in Munich By all accounts, things got a bit heated during the BMW International Open after a fan was hit by a wayward shot in Munich. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad The shot in question was struck by German Max Kieffer in the opening round at Golfclub München Eichenried and one of his playing partners, Englishman Dan Bradbury, was extremely unhappy about the timing of 'fore' being shouted. From what I was told, the ball struck the fan on the chest and Bradbury raised his concern at the end of the round about someone being in danger of being seriously injured in such a circumstance. As Bob MacIntyre did after American Kyle Stanley, one of the Scot's playing partners in the opening two rounds of the 2019 Open at Royal Portrush, didn't shout 'fore' when hitting the mother of Greg Milne, MacIntyre's caddie at the time, with a ball. The Kieffer incident was a talking point among some of the players in a hotel lobby in Munich later in the day and had also been looked into by the tournament director. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad He spoke to everybody in the group after the round and estimated that 'fore' had been shouted in a timely manner and, therefore, no further action was taken. It was a reminder, though, that players have a responsibility to shout, with the DP World Tour delivering 'regular reminders' about that being the case. Sergio Garcia was among a handful of LIV Golf players in the field at Golfclub Munchen Eichenried last week |Why are you back here? Player poses Sergio Garcia question Martin Kaymer may have been given a warm welcome when the LIV Golf man played on home soil in the BMW International Open, but it didn't seem as though that was necessarily the case with Sergio Garcia. It was during the same event at the same venue that the Spaniard, who also now plays his golf on the LIV Golf League, let rip at the DP World Tour in 2022, with Bob MacIntyre having been among those to hear that outburst in the locker room. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Though not mentioning him by name, there was no doubt who one player in last week's field was referring to when asked if he felt the LIV players had added value to the event. 'I think they do,' he told me. 'People like Martin I would say because of the way he went about it. I think he really adds value. But I would say that some people have not gone about it in the right way and, bearing in mind some of the things they said, why are you back here?
