GRANT FORREST WINS SPANISH OPEN TO EARN MASTERS AND OPEN BERTH

Grant Forrest won the Spanish Open at Club de Campo in Madrid, finishing on 14 under par to secure his third DP World Tour title. The victory earns him a place at the 2027 Masters at Augusta National and at The Open at St Andrews, along with the £480,000 first prize. Forrest held off Eugenio Chacarra, who finished one shot back on 13 under despite playing with a fractured toe, and Victor Perez, who also finished at 13 under after his birdie putt on the final hole drifted past the hole. Forrest described the win as "pure shock" and said it felt like "fairytale stuff". He had shared the lead going into the final round with England's Joe Dean, who finished at 12 under.

Forrest opened the tournament with rounds of 66 and 67 before a final round of one-under 70. He dropped shots with bogeys at the third, sixth and eighth holes before recovering with three birdies in his first five back-nine holes. He then secured the win with what he described as a tidy up-and-down at the last. Forrest said he had been unsure what other players in contention were doing during the closing holes and focused on "staying in it".

Forrest said he had endured a difficult season before the win, having missed four consecutive cuts and retired from one event. He said the Augusta National invitation was particularly significant, noting that players can have long careers in golf without ever receiving the chance to play there. Marco Penge earned the same Masters pathway through the Spanish Open the previous year, when the event first began offering the route to Augusta. Forrest said his course knowledge and past memories of playing in Madrid had helped him on the final day.