Grant Forrest :: ‘DeChambeau the danger man’

• Grant Forrest says Bryson DeChambeau is USA’s danger man
• “He’s definitely one to watch out for,” said the 22-year-old
• Forrest is GB&I’s most inexperienced player around Lytham

Grant Forrest has identified Bryson DeChambeau as the man GB&I need to watch out for at the Walker Cup at Royal Lytham & St Annes this weekend.

DeChambeau became only the fifth player in history to win the US Amateur and NCAA Championship in the same year after defeating Derek Bard 7&6 at Olympia Fields last month, and Forrest, 22, who has played against DeChambeau over in the States, is in no doubt that he’s their danger man.

“He’s definitely one to watch out for,” said Forrest, who reached the final of the Amateur Championship at Carnoustie this year before being defeated by Romain Langaque. “He’s the only one in the US team I’ve played against. I faced him in a college tournament and he played in the Palmer Cup last year, although I didn’t play against him personally there.

“He’s up to second in the world after winning the US Amateur so that’s proof of how good a player he is, but then again, everyone who plays in the Walker Cup is a good player so I’m sure he won’t be the only one.”

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Forrest, who plays out of Craigielaw in East Lothian, has spent a substantial amount of time over the past four years studying at the University of San Diego, where he has won four times on the US college circuit.

And while he may know a bit more about some of this week’s opponents than some of his team-mates, his time stateside has worked against him in that he doesn’t have much experience of this week’s venue.

“I’d definitely say I’m one of the least experienced around the course” – Grant Forrest

“I’ve always been over in America when the Lytham Trophy has been on so the first time I played it was a month ago when we had the squad meeting there,” he said. “I’m not sure about Paul Dunne, because he’s been in the US for the past four years too, but I’d definitely say I’m one of the least experienced around the course.

“I know a lot of the lads have done well at the Lytham Trophy in recent years though and played it a lot, so I’ll be taking some pointers from them for sure and hopefully I can pick it up quickly.”

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After narrowly missing out on the 2013 Walker Cup, where no Scots featured in the 17-9 defeat at National Golf Links, Forrest had always targeted a place in the event he calls ‘the pinnacle of amateur golf’, but cementing that place proved anything but easy.

“I struggled in the spring when I was playing over in America – I certainly didn’t play my best golf – and when I came back over I was still in poor form,” he admitted. “That’s why reaching the final of the Amateur was vital and even though it was disappointing not to go on and win, it helped in my selection which was one of the goals I set out two years ago.”

Grant Forrest :: Walker Cup star?

Can Grant Forrest help GB&I to victory over USA at Royal Lytham & St Annes this weekend? Leave your thoughts in the ‘Comments’ section below.