Keeping a low profile, biding his time and striking when it mattered most; Grant Forrest’s third round at the Open de España presented by Madrid in a nutshell. The Scot started Saturday as the leader, but whilst his main challengers stepped up the pace over the first nine holes, he opted for steady progress, keeping his cool and waiting for his chance.
At one point, Forrest found himself four strokes behind Joe Dean, who looked set to pull away at the top of the leaderboard. However, two birdies on the 14th and 16th holes, combined with the Englishman’s double bogey on the latter, brought Forrest back into joint lead. He still had to dig deep on the 17th to save a crucial par before carding a four under par 67.
It was a highly commendable round, particularly given the way he handled adversity. Whilst others were putting their feet down, Forrest kept a cool head and refused to panic when he appeared to be falling behind.
The Scot now has an opportunity that could completely turn his season around. He arrived in Madrid ranked 118th in the Race to Dubai, and a victory would guarantee his place in the end-of-season playoffs, as well as securing his third win on the DP World Tour.
Furthermore, Forrest knows this venue inside out. He finished third in the 2021 Open de España and repeated the feat in 2024. On both occasions, he came close to lifting the trophy, making this third chance all the more significant.
This Sunday, he will tee off in the final group alongside Joe Dean, both on -13. One stroke behind them sit Victor Perez, Jacob Skov Olesen and Joel Girrbach, whilst Ángel Ayora, sixth on -10, is keeping Spanish hopes alive.
Third time lucky? A third chance to reign in Madrid and secure his third victory on the DP World Tour. Forrest already knows what it feels like to be in the thick of it at the Open de España. Now he wants to know what it feels like to win it. Has the Scot’s time arrived?
