Newly-married Grant Forrest reckons World No. 2 Rory McIlroy is a ‘super power’ when it comes to driving the golf ball.
Forrest, who was married just prior to the end of last year at a lavish ceremony at the Archerfield Golf Club to the east of Edinburgh, is among five Scots contesting this week’s inaugural Dubai Invitational in the UAE.
Forrest has posted scores of 73, 68 and 71 for a one-under tally and just inside the leading 30 heading to the final round being played in this month’s 31st anniversary of the opening of the host Dubai Creek Golf & Yacht club course.
McIlroy again finds himself near the pointed end of the leaderboard at 14-under-par and trailing only one behind victorious Rome Ryder Cup team-mate Tommy Fleetwood but only with the World No. 2 taking himself out of the slow lane when level par through 10 holes and finish four-under for his last eight for his 67.
RORY’S A SUPER POWER ….
Admits newly-married 🏴 @grantforrest93 @ArnoldClark @craigielaw @oriongroup & this after Grant led the ‘Driving Distance’ stats day one #DubaiInvitational @DubaiCreekGolf 👍
Read: https://t.co/JTcrEkYAmB
✅ @TOURMISS @SundayMailSport (Bernie) pic.twitter.com/jbgcxSZt3Z
— Golf & Science News (@TOURMISS) January 13, 2024
Fleetwood got his putting sorted out to brush past McIlroy on golf’s traditional ‘Moving Day’ signing for 63 and a 15-under tally on the host Dubai Creek Golf & Yacht Club layout.
In contrast, Forrest was out in Saturday’s first group recording a level par 71 for a one-under tally but moved into the top-30 with a round to play.
Forrest then found himself behind the microphone joining fellow Scot Andy Coltart as a guest on SKY Sports TV coverage.
And it was Coltart who quizzed Forrest in being the second longest off the tee this week behind McIlroy, albeit 10-yards behind the four-time major champ.
Forrest said: “It’s not surprising as Rory’s one of the best drivers of the ball out here.
“My driving has not been too bad these first three days but clearly driving distance is Rory’s super power”.
Looking at the DP World Tour driving stats of both Forrest and McIlroy the young Scot was indeed the longest off the tee on day one with a best drive of 335.5 yards that was three yards longer than the four-time major winning McIlroy.
However, McIlroy regained the No.1 place over the last two rounds with drives respectively of 336.5 yards and a third day best of 324 yards.
Forrest, in contrast, dropped to eighth longest with a best of 313 yards on day two while, and as reported above, he struggled in today’s third round posting a longest drive of 308 yards that had him back to 16th longest off the Dubai Creek tees.
