Latest news with #GrantForrest
Scotsman
5 days ago
- Sport
- Scotsman
Top home player gets 'absolute clinic' from Justin Rose in Scottish Open
Grant Forrest impressed as he gets front-row seat as former winner signs off with 63 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 enjoyed a front-row seat as Justin Rose produced an 'absolute clinic' in the final round of the Genesis Scottish Open. Rose, the 2014 winner at Royal Aberdeen, turned on the style at The Renaissance Club as he signed off with a seven-under-par 63. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad The effort was a timely boost as the Englishman heads to Royal Portrush in his bid to go one better in The 153rd Open after finishing runner-up to Xander Schauffele at Royal Troon 12 months ago. Justin Rose shakes hands with Grant Forrest on the 18th green on day four of the Genesis Scottish Open at The Renaissance Club |'I got an absolute clinic today from Justin,' declared Forrest, who was in the same group. 'It was seriously impressive. Getting to play with guys like him, who has been at the top so long, is good. Obviously he had a great day. He only missed one shot. It was good to see the standard.' Though disappointed with his work over the weekend, Forrest finished as the leading Scot, picking up the Jock MacVicar AGW Memorial Trophy in honour of the legendary Scottish golf writer. 'Yes, it can drive you on,' added Forrest of his day in the company of Rose, a major winner and former Olympic gold medallist. 'There aren't many guys who have played at the level he has for such a long time. You can see why. He hits the ball so accurately and consistently. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 'I played with Lee Westwood here in 2019 and I felt the same about him. It's total control of the ball. You can see why they've had the success and the longevity at this level.' Forrest, who closed with a 69 to finish around the top 25, picked up valuable Race to Dubai points after struggling with his game in the opening half of the season. 'I didn't have my best stuff, especially over the weekend, but I just tried to do the best with what I had and dug in,' said the Pencaitland-based player. 'It stings a bit to drop one on 17 coming in but all in all it's been a decent week. Grant Forrest receives the Jock MacVicar AGW Memorial Award from AGW president Lewine Mair after finishing as the top home player in the Genesis Scottish Open |It's a decent result and now I'm looking forward to a wee break now before we get going. I putted quite well the first couple of days, and my long putting was good for the most part. Everything else needs a bit of work.' Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Looking forward to the remainder of the year, he added: 'As it stands, I'll only have about two weeks off until November once we get going again. I'll miss Crans and the week when the Ryder Cup is on, but I'll play everything else. Hopefully we can get some better results and I can miss a couple of events because this is going to be a lot of golf.' Forrest was delighted to hear that David Law had boosted his bid to be back on the DP World Tour next season after winning the Czech Challenge on the HotelPlanner Tour. 'That's magic,' he said of his former Scotland team-mate. 'My wife (Christy) told me when we were out on the course. I think he was 110th after round one and now wins. It's brilliant.
Scotsman
7 days ago
- 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.
Daily Mail
08-07-2025
- Sport
- Daily Mail
Open goal for Connor Syme as he prepares to join home charge for glory at The Renaissance Club
Connor Syme believes his confidence and self-belief are at an all-time high as he prepares to tee it up on some soil at this week's Genesis Scottish Open. Syme finally got the monkey off his back and won his maiden DP World Tour title at the KLM Open in Holland last month. The 29-year-old Fifer arrives at The Renaissance looking to build on that victory and will be buoyed by the fact he has a decent record around the East Lothian venue. Syme finished in a tie for 15th place last year and has made the cut on all six previous appearances. He believes he can go from strength to strength after finally clinching his first victory on tour - and has the added incentive of trying to secure a place in next week's Open Championship at Royal Portrush. 'There's always something you want to achieve and I really, really want to play in The Open,' admitted Syme. 'There's no denying that and, the same as everyone teeing up this week, if you're not in already then that's definitely a goal. 'Hopefully I can play well. When I look back at my win in Holland, I was definitely brilliant at bringing myself back into the present. 'That's hopefully something I can carry on with this week and I'm hoping my good golf can flourish from there. 'It's all positives. It's been such an amazing feeling to get that first win and to come back here as a winner on tour is really special.' Having joined the likes of Bob MacIntyre, Ewen Ferguson, Grant Forrest and Calum Hill as Scots to have won on tour in recent years, Syme believes Scottish golf is in a decent place overall. MacIntyre is currently placed just outside the world's top 10, with Ferguson the only other Scot inside the world top 150 at present. Asked whether or not he feels Scottish golf punches above its weight or holds its own, Syme added: 'Good question. I guess we are probably kind of getting it back. 'Certainly when I was coming through amateur golf, the talent that we had in Scotland for whatever reason didn't end up making it on tour at that point. 'I think a few of those guys probably still could do it, but it's obviously nice that from my age group growing up, quite a lot of us have managed to get on tour and have won on tour, which is awesome. 'But, yeah, obviously with the home of golf, it definitely carries its pressures and trying to live up to that. Bob is obviously doing absolutely brilliantly and we are all trying to get, hopefully, to where he gets to.'
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
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?
