Forsyth turns on the style to earn first win of season in Strathmore 36-hole OOM Challenge

Alastair Forsyth put in a polished display to claim his first victory of the season on the Arnold Clark Tartan Tour at the Strathmore 36-hole Order of Merit Challenge.

The 48-year-old, a two-time champion on the DP World Tour, reeled off a pair of eight-under 64s for a 16-under total and eased to a four-shot win over Paul O’Hara.

Over three days at the delightfully maintained Perthshire venue – Forsyth finished joint second in the pre-tournament Pro-Am – the Mearns Castle pro didn’t drop a single shot.

"That’s the first time in my career that I’ve been bogey free for three rounds in a row,” he said. “Maybe we should have every event here?”

Sharing the lead overnight with Chris Maclean, Forsyth fortified his position at the top with a birdie on the first and another from 25-feet on the second. 

By the fifth, he was three-under and a further five birdies saw him enjoy a procession to a coronation.

“It was a nice way to get my first win of the year,” added the 2022 Loch Lomond Whiskies Scottish PGA champion, who picked up the first prize of £1600.

“I’ve not been playing that well this season. I’ve been struggling with my putting, but I found a wee fault in it and got working on it. I found a fix and that’s made a huge difference.

“Strathmore really is a true hidden gem. It’s a superb facility and all of us PGA pros were taken aback when we first came here a couple of years ago.”

O’Hara had two 66s on his way to second place on 12-under while John Henry and Graeme Robertson shared third on 11-under.