Grant Forrest rues 'stupid mistake' at costly last hole in BMW PGA

Taking up where he’d left off when finishing joint-fifth on Sunday in the Amgen Irish Open at Royal County Down, the 31-year-old stormed to the turn in 29 - six under - on the West Course at the Surrey venue.

He then led on his own after moving to seven under before dropping a shot at the par-4 16th after missing the green with his approach and then signing off with an untidy double-bogey 7.

Bunkered off the tee, he found more sand with his lay up then put his third shot in the water at the front of the green and, following a penalty drop, then being unable to get up and down.

“Well, it’s a pretty average score at the end of the day,” said Forrest of signing for a four-under-par 68 to end the day three shots behind leader Matthew Baldwin after his bogey-free effort. 

“You need to finish rounds off and, if you don’t do that, there’s not really much point in going out in six under. It’s a real missed chance again.”

Clearly fizzing, the Pencaitland-based player added: “A stupid decision on 18 with the lay up cost us. We brought the bunker into play. We could easily have gone over it and there’s plenty of space up the left, especially with the pin today. But that’s something we’ll need to look into.”

Earlier, the 2021 Hero Open winner had holed a bunker shot at the first for a birdie before picking up another shot at the third then following an eagle at the par-5 fourth with further gains at the seventh and eighth.

“The front nine was one of those runs where you get it going,” said Forrest. “I holed a bunker shot at the first tee shot, which, after a poor tee shot, kind of settles things down.

“Then I played good golf after that and made two long putts on four and eight. Some tougher holes coming in, but to finish 5-7 at two par-5s is not really what we were after. Yeah, I’ll have to pick myself up again and go early tomorrow.”

That was in reference to dropping five shots in the final four holes in the third round in the Irish Open on Saturday before picking himself up the following day to record a third top-five finish in that event in four years.

In fairness, Forrest wasn’t the first player to be bitten by the closing hole at Wentworth and he won’t be the last. “I think there is so much on the tee shot at 18, especially with the wind today,” he said. “It was in out of the left, which kind of suits the hole and you are just trying to slide one round the corner. 

“If you get that one away, you are not hitting much club in, but if, you don’t and end up in the bunker, it’s not the easiest lay up in the world. You are kind of hitting towards the water out of the sand and, yeah, there’s plenty of places that you can go wrong.”

After hitting the opening shot and feeling as though it was still dark as he did so, Calum Hill opened with a two-under 70, one better than Richie Ramsay, who got up and down after taking a penalty drop at the last to salvage a par. Ewen Ferguson and David Law, who is battling to save his DP World Tour card, also sit on one under.

On a day when every player in the field broke 80, Connor Syme and Scott Jamieson had to settle for 74 and 75 respectively.