Staff WriterGrant Forrest will start the final round of the Nexo Championship with a three-shot cushion, thanks to a birdie-birdie finish that had the Trump International Golf Links gallery purring like a cat that’s just found the cream.
The 32-year-old Scot, who began Saturday with a slender one-shot lead, posted a one-under-par 71 to reach eight under for the week—three clear of England’s Todd Clements, Norway’s Kristoffer Reitan, and the Netherlands’ Daan Huizing.
Forrest’s pedigree on home turf is well known; his maiden DP World Tour win came at the 2021 Hero Open at Fairmont St Andrews. Now, with Aberdeen’s salty air in his lungs and the home crowd in his corner, he’s eyeing a second title.
“It’s nice to have my family here and I think there will be some more coming down tomorrow,” Forrest said. “I’m really looking forward to it and it’s great to have baby Spencer here. I’ve loved spending time with my family at home.”
Early Stumble, Late Charge
Forrest looked unflappable early, parring his opening seven holes before tripping over a bogey-par-bogey stretch from the eighth. That wobble saw him briefly overtaken by playing partner Jordan Smith, while Clements and Reitan also joined the top tier.
But this was no collapse—more a momentary gust in what had been a steady sail. Smith bogeyed the 11th, Forrest steadied, and the home favourite grabbed the outright lead with a birdie at the 14th.
Then came the finish: putts from 16 and 20 feet dropped on the final two greens, moving Forrest to eight under and setting the tone for what could be a career-defining Sunday.
“There’s a long way to go but I’m happy with the way I dug in today and it was a great way to finish,” Forrest said. “If it’s similar conditions, it will just be about getting it in play off the tee, hitting greens, and remaining patient. I’ve only led once before, and I ended up winning.”
The Chase Pack
Behind him, Clements, Reitan, and Huizing share second at five under, all close enough to turn Sunday into a proper scrap. Joe Dean, Andy Sullivan, and Jacob Skov Olesen sit five back at three under, while Eddie Pepperell lurks at two under.
Finn Oliver Lindell, John Parry, Ryan Lumsden, and American Davis Bryant round out the top ten at one under.
What’s at Stake
Forrest knows a three-shot lead on this course is about as secure as a chocolate teapot in a heatwave. Trump International’s coastal winds have a way of humbling even the steadiest hands.
Still, with the home crowd roaring, the putter warm, and family looking on, Forrest has a chance to turn the Nexo Championship into a memory worth framing—preferably in tartan.
