Grant Forrest vows to learn after crashing out

The 22-year-old from Craigielaw had been sitting the best among ten Scots after a flawless first-round 68 in the Turkish Airlines Challenge in Belek.

But he ended up making an early exit at Gloria Golf Club after a 76 on the second day saw him miss out on the weekend’s action by a single shot.

“It is disappointing to miss the cut, especially after having such a good first round,” admitted Forrest after having to wait until the final hole for his first birdie of the day.

“But that’s golf for you and it’s days like this that you learn from as much as when you are winning.”

The Walker Cup player didn’t put a foot wrong first time around on the Mediterranean coast and felt he’d had a good warm up ahead of the second round.

But he said: “I just played poor – it was sloppy out there. I took on a couple of flags that I shouldn’t have and that cost me bogeys.

“Looking back, I could easily have saved the shot that I’ve missed the cut by.”

At least he doesn’t have to wait long to get his next chance to see if he can stay around for 72 holes in a Challenge Tour event.

That’s because both Forrest and Bearsden’s Ewen Ferguson, who made it to the final round here after two 70s, are also in the field for next week’s Montecchia Open in Italy.

Edinburgh-based Duncan Stewart joined Ferguson as well as Bradley Neil and Ross Kellett in progressing on this occasion.

Stewart, who claimed his maiden victory on the second-tier circuit in Madrid last weekend, is on two-under – 10 off the lead – after rounds of 70 and 72.

“Both my concentration and energy levels were bad,” admitted the 31-year-old, who is attached to Turnhouse. “I struggled with the greens a bit and became frustrated as a result of that.”

Taking full advantage of benign morning conditions, Frenchman Matthieu Pavon backed up an opening 68 with a 64 to sit on 12-under-par.

He leads by two shots from compatriot Clement Sordet and Swede Sebastian Soderberg, the early pacesetter in this season’s Road to Oman.