Grant Forrest and Joe Dean head into the final round of the Open de España in Madrid tied for the lead, each holding a score of 13 under par. The competition intensified as Forrest, who started the day with a one-shot advantage at the Real Club de Campo Villa de Madrid, faced challenges after bogeying the fifth hole.

Despite the setback, Forrest rebounded with birdies at the 11th, 14th, and 16th, finishing with a round of 67. Reflecting on his performance, he expressed satisfaction with his resilience:

“I’m happy with how I handled today. I didn’t have my best stuff but I’m really proud of how I dug in and made some nice putts, a couple of good recovery shots, and all in all a decent score again.”
He emphasized his fondness for the tournament, stating, “This is one of my favourite tournaments, it’s been good to me in the past, and I’d love nothing more than to go home with a trophy tomorrow.”

Joe Dean of Sheffield also showcased his skills with a strong performance, carding a 65. His round included five birdies on the front nine and three more at the 12th, 14th, and 15th, giving him a three-shot lead at one point. However, a double-bogey at the 16th and a dropped shot at 17 brought him back to the pack. He ended on a high note with a 31-foot putt for birdie on the last hole, saying,

“It gave a little bit of hope after those previous two holes.”

Chasing the leaders, Victor Perez from France and Jacob Skov Olesen from Denmark both posted rounds of 65, bringing them to 12 under, alongside Joel Girrbach from Switzerland, who finished with a 67. Angel Ayora represents the home nation as the leading Spanish hope, sitting three shots off the lead after shooting a 66 on a day characterized by low scoring.