Forsyth takes Portlethen prize as O’Hara regains Order of Merit title

13/09/2023

Alastair Forsyth mounted a final day charge to win the Portlethen 36-hole Order of Merit Challenge and finish the campaign with a flourish.

There was joy too for Paul O’Hara whose runners-up placing secured him the Order of Merit title for the fifth time in the last seven seasons.

Forsyth had been four shots off the lead after round one but came barging up the standings with an eight-under 64 for a 10-under aggregate and a narrow, one-shot win over O’Hara.

A brace of eagles at the fourth and 13th bolstered Forsyth’s offensive while a birdie on the last hole, after a leaked shot on the 17th, proved decisive in the final analysis.

O’Hara had covered his first seven holes of the final round in four-under but he could only pick up one more birdie coming home in a 67 as Forsyth held on.

Thomas Higson finished third on eight-under while Graeme Robertson, the newly crowned Loch Lomond Whiskies Scottish PGA champion, shared fourth on seven-under.

O’Hara’s enduring consistency was highlighted again in 2023 as he regained the rankings crown he lost to Craig Lee last year.

In eight Order of Merits events, O’Hara finished fourth or better in five of them as he accumulated 770 points during the season.

Robertson was second on 710.50 points with Forsyth finishing third.