GRANT Forrest secured his first trip to Augusta National after sinking a winning birdie putt on the 18th hole to capture the Spanish Open on Sunday (Monday, Oct. 12, 2026, PH time).
The 33-year-old Scot carded a two-under-par 70 in the final round to finish at 14-under 270, edging a crowded leaderboard by one stroke and earning an invitation to the Masters.
According to the Associated Press, Forrest and France’s Victor Perez were tied heading into the 322-yard par-4 closing hole. Both drove into the rough beyond the green, but Perez chipped to 10 feet and missed his birdie attempt. Forrest left himself just over three feet from the hole with his chip and converted the putt for the victory.
The win also secured Forrest a spot in the British Open, which he has played twice. His closest previous opportunity to qualify for the Masters came in 2015, when he finished runner-up in the British Amateur Championship.
“It’s fairy-tale stuff,” Forrest said. “I’ve played two Opens. To be going to Augusta, I can’t get my head around it. I was close in the Amateur Championship 11 years ago. You can have a great career in this game and never get to Augusta.”
The Spanish Open was among the national championships designated by the Masters to award its winner an invitation.
The victory was Forrest’s third on the European tour, following two previous wins in Scotland, including last year’s Nexo Championship. / LBG