Scotland’s Grant Forrest was jetting back from sunny ‘Down Under’ Australia to wintery Scotland delighted with his effort in the last round of the year, and a best career pre-Christmas start to a new DP World Tour wraparound season.
Forrest, 30, jetted out of closeby Sydney Airport with a closing 68 to secure a three-way share of fourth at the Australian Open on the host Australian Club course.
The Craigielaw golfer grabbed three birdies to be tied with Aussie Adam Scott and England’s Laurie Canter, and trailing three behind Chilean-born LIV golfer Joaquin Niemann who defeated Japan’s Rikuya Hoshino with an eagle at the second extra play-off hole.
Niemann found a corporate hospitality tent with his second shot at the last in reguation but mangaged a remarkable birdie, hitting over the tent and also water, before being joined by Hoshino, who also birdied the last.
Scot Grant Forrest delighted to end his year sharing 4th at the ISPS Handa Australian Open & heads into the New Year 12th on the 2024 Race to Dubai. (Photo – Grant Forrest)
The pair returned to 18 for the first extra hole, only to each again birdie the hole before the 25-year-old Niemann landed his second shot to some 10-feet and holed the winning eagle ‘3’ putt.
It was Hoshino’s second runners-up finish in two weeks ‘down under’.
Niemann, Hoshino and Scott earned automatic entry into next July’s 152nd Open and with Forrest, who is ranked higher in the world than Canter, assured of an Open tee-time should any of the three qualifiers earn full exemption in the ensuing seven months.
Forrest had been on a first pre-Christmas visit to Australia in six years, choosing for four of the past five years to tee-up in similar South African wraparound events, and with his two Aussie showings the best of the ‘south of the equator’ efforts.
His share of fourth in Sydney and a T33rd a week ago in Brisbane has him place 12th on the 2023/24 Race to Dubai money list, with Aussie Min Woo Lee who was third in the ‘Harbour City’ top of the ‘Race’.
Forrest said: “I haven’t played before in an Australian Open, so I was delighted with the visit and the result.
“Last week’s course in Brisbane was really good while the two we played here in Sydney were also two super golf courses. They were each just right in front of you and you could clearly see what you needed to hit.
“Looking back on the season, there were loads of positives including a few top finishes with that great result (T3rd) at the Irish Open.
“Also, I arrived here in Australia really pleased with my DP World Tour final round, so it was good to bring that good form down here.
“So, delighted with a strong finish to my year in Sydney and looking forward, first to a good Christmas break, and hopefully more of the same in the New Year”.
Fifer Connor Syme was joining Forrest on the long journey home, signing for weekend 72s to drop back into a T17th finish.
Gleneagles attached Callum Hill returns home with smart-looking TAG Heuer watch after his ace on day three in posting a closing 76 that included an eagle, two birdies, seven bogeys and a double bogey for his share of 51st.
The jointly held Australian Women’s Open was won by defending champ Ashleight Buhai of South Africa, edging out top-Ausssie Minji Lee by a shot at nine-under.
Scot’s Kylie Henry faded with a closing 80 and Michele Thomson with an 81.
