Grant Forrest delivered a career-highlight performance recently at the Nexo Championship, carding a sensational six-under-par 66 to break the course record at Trump International Golf Links in Aberdeenshire. The Scotsman’s blistering round lifted him to seven under par for the tournament, giving him a one-shot advantage heading into the weekend over England’s Jordan Smith.
Forrest, 32, admitted the 2025 DP World Tour season has been a testing one, but a three-week break at home with his wife and their eight-month-old child seems to have rejuvenated his form.
“It was tough again today with the wind up, but I played brilliant to be honest,” Forrest said. “I gave myself loads of good chances, rolled a couple in, left a couple out there, and overall had a great day. This season has been a struggle, so just to play some really good golf is very encouraging.”
A Hot Start and a Strong Finish
Following an opening 71, Forrest began his second round in style with back-to-back birdies. Further gains at the fourth and fifth moved him alongside Smith and overnight leader Richard Sterne at five under. A bogey at the seventh was quickly erased with a birdie at the eighth, before birdies at the 10th and 16th saw him finish at seven under.
Smith, who closed with a birdie on his final hole, posted consecutive rounds of 69 to hold solo second place at six under. Sterne slipped to third at four under after a two-over 74.
Dutchman Daan Huizing moved into solo fourth on three under with a bogey-free 69. England’s Todd Clements and Alex Fitzpatrick share fifth with South Africa’s Justin Harding, Australia’s David Micheluzzi, and Finland’s Oliver Lindell, all at three under.
Player Reactions
Grant Forrest:
“It’s probably my second-best career round in these conditions, behind Fairmont when I won. You don’t get too many days where everything clicks like that. I’m quite comfortable in these conditions and just happy with the way the game’s going.”
Jordan Smith:
“I’m over the moon. The wind made it a day for knockdown shots and three-quarter swings. It’s mentally exhausting out there, but I’m really pleased with how me and my caddie handled it.”
Daan Huizing:
“I’m happy with a bogey-free round in these conditions. Links golf suits me – it’s about creativity and controlling the ball flight, and I felt in control all day.”
Eddie Pepperell:
“Cold, windy, and testing from the start. Links golf has always been a leveller for me. I just kept the ball straight and stayed disciplined.”
With challenging weather expected over the weekend, the Nexo Championship remains wide open. Forrest will aim to build on his record-breaking performance, while Smith, Sterne, and a tightly packed chasing group look to mount their own charge for the title.
About the DP World Tour
The DP World Tour is the main men’s professional golf tour of the European Tour group.
As golf’s global tour, we showcase global talent in global destinations and use our platform to build, entertain and connect our global community.
GLOBAL TALENT: We provide pathways and a platform for the leading international talent, bringing together golfing icons, national heroes and emerging stars from around the world.
GLOBAL DESTINATIONS: We stage tournaments in iconic cities and locations around the world and each week we celebrate and showcase the rich diversity of the courses, cities and cultures we visit.
GLOBAL COMMUNITY: We build, entertain and connect communities through our commitment to innovation, creative content and having a positive social and environmental impact.
Our 2025 Global Schedule features 42 tournaments in 26 different countries and comprises three distinct phases: five ‘Global Swings’, the ‘Back 9’ and the ‘DP World Tour Play-Offs’. It features five Rolex Series events – the premium category of events on the DP World Tour – and four Major Championships, all of which count towards the Race to Dubai Rankings, the Tour’s season-long competition which concludes at the DP World Tour Championship in Dubai.
DP World, the leading provider of global smart end-to-end supply chain and logistics solutions, has been the title partner of the DP World Tour since the start of the 2022 season, the Tour’s 50th season following its formation in 1972.
We also enjoy the support of many of the world’s leading business brands with DP World, Rolex, Aldar, BMW, Buffalo Trace Distillery, Emirates, Fortinet and Vestas as Official Partners.
About the European Tour group
The European Tour group administers the DP World Tour, the HotelPlanner Tour, the Legends Tour and the G4D Tour and, as the Managing Partner of Ryder Cup Europe LLP, stages golf’s greatest team contest, the Ryder Cup, in partnership with the PGA of America.
The European Tour group has Strategic Partnerships with the PGA TOUR, the Sunshine Tour, the Challenger PGA Tour of Australasia, the China Golf Association (CGA), the Japan Golf Tour Organization (JGTO), the Korea Professional Golfers’ Association (KPGA), and the TATA Steel Professional Golf Tour of India. These partnerships provide global pathways for players from across the world to compete internationally on the DP World Tour, the main men’s professional golf Tour of the European Tour group which was established in 1972, as well as the HotelPlanner Tour.
