Grant Forrest saw his chances of his first European Tour win and a place in the Open next week evaporate in the rain on the final hole in the Dubai Duty Free Irish Open.
The 26-year-old from East Lothian – who will be at home for this week’s abrdn Scottish Open at the Renaissance – put himself in position for at least a shot at the three places at Royal St George’s on offer at Mount Juliet with a fine performance on the final day.
A shot behind Lucas Herbert playing the birdie chance at 17, Forrest even had a look at the title, but he got unlucky on the penultimate hole and a poor tee shot on the last left him in the trees and failing to get out at his first attempt.
The double-bogey six on the last – the second day in succession he’d returned a six on the final hole – dropped him back to a share of fourth, along with fellow Scot Richie Ramsay.
“Obviously pretty devastated with the finish,” he said. “I got a little bit unlucky off the tee, got under the tree, didn’t have a draw or anything.
“Had to swipe at it and missed it, and then knocked the next one out and made a pretty good 6 from there. But a little disappointed, it’s been a while since I’ve been right up there in an event. To be in that position was great.”
Six birdies in 15 holes puts Forrest in position
Grant Forrest isn't going anywhere…
He's 5 under for the day and now within a shot of the lead.#DDFIrishOpen pic.twitter.com/PMV2BHCC8L
— The European Tour (@EuropeanTour) July 4, 2021
Forrest had put himself into position with a run of three successive birdies form the fourth and was six-under for the day when he drove close to the 15th green and got up and down for his birdie.
The 17th was another birdie chance and although he missed the fairway on the left, he faded his second around the trees on to the green, only to see it just slide down the bank and off the putting surface.
A misjudged pitch and a missed birdie putt meant he was still a shot behind going to the 18th.
“It’s not the easiest tee shot in the world,” he said. “The wind is in off the left and tried to just hit my draw, 3-wood. I’d hit 3-iron the first three days and wanted to get a little bit further up today, especially with that back pin.
“I just pushed it a little bit. It wasn’t a terrible shot but just obviously being that bit further up meant I reached those little trees. On another day it might have kicked left and I’d have a shot at the green, but not today.”
Aussie Herbert wobbles but pulls away on the back nine
The winning moment 🏆#DDFIrishOpen pic.twitter.com/Nzus1mGxHt
— The European Tour (@EuropeanTour) July 4, 2021
Forrest’s fourth place actually matched his career best on the European Tour from the Mauritius Open in 2019.
Ramsay also had his best showing of 2021 so far. While consistent with 10 cuts made in 13 events the Aberdonian had not had a top ten before Ireland. He shot a back nine of four-under 32 on Sunday to move up the field.
Australia’s Herbert had led from the first round but had to come through a tricky front nine on Sunday.
He steadied himself to come home in 33 as Forrest, Italy’s Francesco Laporta and playing partner Johannes Veerman fell away. He eventually closed out a comfortable three shot win on a 19-under aggregate of 269.
Disappointment but encouragement for Bradley Neil
There was also disappointment for Blairgowrie’s Bradley Neil, who put himself in position for his first Challenge Tour win in the Kaskada Open in the Czech Republic.
The 25-year-old former Amateur champion followed up Saturday’s sparkling 64 with a brilliant start of three birdies in his first eight holes in Brno to claim the lead on his own.
But a double bogey seven at the halfway house was followed by back-to-back bogeys on the 11th and 12th. The young Scot eventually finished in a tie for ninth, a final round one-over 72 leaving him with an 11-under total of 273.
That was five shots off the winning score of Marcel Schneider. The German booked the sole place on offer for the Open Championship at Royal St George’s next week.
The consolation is that it was Bradley’s best performance since a fourth place in Ireland in October 2019.