Hole-in-one helps golfer Grant Forrest to joint third in Spain

The county golfer sunk his 181-yard drive at the ninth hole during the opening round in Madrid last Thursday.

That was just part of an impressive first day, which included two birdies and two more eagles alongside the hole-in-one, to leave him in seventh on six-under-par, one stroke behind fellow East Lothian golfer David Drysdale.

Forrest (pictured), who lives in Haddington, was delighted with the shot and said: “It was just a perfect eight iron. The way that green is you have to just go straight at the pin.

“We heard the cheers but we couldn’t actually see the bottom of the hole from the tee.

“It’s my first one at a tournament so it’s pretty special.”

The hole-in-one was the 31st on the 2021 Race to Dubai.

Forrest, 28, has been in impressive form this season, culminating in his maiden European Tour win at the Hero Open at St Andrews in August.

Grant Forrest on the 12th tee at the Scottish Open

Day two in Spain saw Forrest card a four-under-par round of 67 to move up to sixth in the standings, while Drysdale shot 70 to slip back to a share of 12th.

Former Dunbar Grammar School pupil Drysdale and Forrest were then locked together in ninth spot on 11-under-par after the third round on Saturday.

A final round of 65 from Forrest moved him up to a share of third spot alongside Julien Guerrier and Shubhankar Sharma on 17-under-par.

Spaniard Rafa Cabrera Bello would beat compatriot Adri Arnaus in a play-off for the title after both men finished on 19-under-par.

Forrest’s success netted him €71,966 ahead of the second of three consecutive Spanish tournaments in October. Both Forrest and Drysdale, 46, are among the entrants at the Andalucia Masters, which tees off today (Thursday).