Scotland’s Grant Forrest thrilled the home crowd with a new course record on Friday, taking a one-shot lead at the halfway stage of the Nexo Championship.
The North Berwick native carded a superb six-under-par 66 on the Old Course at Trump International Golf Links, eclipsing Richard Sterne’s opening-round mark by a stroke to reach seven under for the tournament.
Forrest, who has endured a difficult 2025 DP World Tour campaign, credited a three-week break and familiar conditions for his turnaround in form.
“The wind was up, but I controlled my ball really well, rolled in a few putts and overall played some great golf,” he said.
After an opening 71, Forrest started with back-to-back birdies, added another brace from the 4th, and bounced back from a bogey at the 7th with a birdie at the 8th.
A birdie at the 10th pulled him level with England’s Jordan Smith, who dropped a shot at the 15th to hand the Scot the outright lead.
Forrest then stuck his tee shot to two feet at the par-three 16th for a tap-in birdie before closing with two pars.
Smith, who posted successive rounds of 69, sits second on six under, while overnight leader Sterne is third on four under after a 73.
Daan Huizing’s bogey-free 69 moved him to three under, with South Africa’s Justin Harding among a group a shot further back alongside Todd Clements, Alex Fitzpatrick, David Micheluzzi and Oliver Lindell.
– Article from DP World Tour website
Photo: Ross Parker/Getty Images
