Grant Forrest has 'no issues' playing with LIV Golf rebel in BMW PGA

Grant Forrest insisted he had “no issues” playing alongside one of the LIV Golf rebels in the opening round of the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth.

Grant Forrest in action durng the opening round of the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth. Picture: Warren Little/Getty Images.

The Lothians star had Austrian Bernd Wiesberger for company as he overcame being forced into a last-minute change of driver to card a three-under-par 69.

Wiesberger, who played in last year’s Ryder Cup, is among 18 LIV Golf players competing in the $8 million Rolex Series event as a court case waits to take place in February.

“I have played a few times with Bernd and I have no objections to him being here, to be honest,” said Forrest.

“Bernd has been one of the most supportive players on our tour for the last five or six years and I have no issues. I’m here to do my job and I’d rather not get involved.”

Had the pair chatted about Greg Norman’s Saudi-backed breakaway circuit that has led to a civil war in golf?

“We were making a few jokes about it and most of them were with his caddie (Jamie Lane),” added Forrest. “He said that usually if it rains on the LIV Tour, they put a rough up - just wee things like that. It’s just banter.

“Guys like Bernd have their category out here and it’s going to be what happens in the court that determines what we’ll see down the line.”

Forrest was pleased with his day’s work after suffering a “bit of a scare” at the end of his wam up on the range.

“I was hitting drivers and a few of them were going a bit skew whiff,” said the 29-year-old. “I thought it might just have been me because they felt pretty well hit.

“Then the very last one I wiped the face with my thumb and I felt it catch and, right enough, it was cracked.

“I don’t know how long it had been cracked and I really struggled with the driver last week, so it could well have been cracked then.

“I don’t have a spare one with me, which is my fault as you should always have a back up. But luckily Dave Law saved the day!”

Norwegian Viktor Hovland eagled the last to share the lead with English duo Tommy Fleetwood and Andy Sullivan on 64.