Grant Forrest faces Poulter's brother in Qualifying School test

Grant Forrest is taking on Ian Poulter's brother and a former England cricket star in the East Lothian star's opening test in his first full season as a professional golfer.

Grant Forrest

He’s among the hopefuls in the MENA Tour Qualifying School, which begins today in Morocco, with Forrest aiming to use the third-tier circuit as a back-up to the Challenge Tour.

“If I get a card, I’ll stay on in Morocco for the first two tournaments, which are the Casablanca Open and the Royal Golf Mohammedia Open,” said the 23-year-old.

“I’m not playing in the first Challenge Tour event of the season, the Kenya Open, later this month. But those two MENA Tour outings would help get me ready for Turkey, after which I should get a good run of events.”

Ayrshireman Jack Doherty is among Forrest’s rivals in the 54-hole event, as are Danny Poulter and Craig Kieswetter, whose cricket career was cut short at the age of 26 after a horrifying eye injury.

“My game is feeling really good,” added Forrest, who finished just outside the top 40 on his pro debut in the Dunhill Links Championship last October.

“I’ve been working hard. I’ve made a couple of equipment changes and it’s a case of getting them in play and starting to get back competing again.”