Scottish Amateur champ Grant Forrest on fire in Hawaii and Los Angeles

GRANT Forrest is heading home from California for Christmas feeling his batteries need re-charged after doing some globe-trotting since he was crowned as Scottish Amateur champion in August.

In the first half of Forrest’s second year at the University of San Diego he has played in events in both Japan and Hawaii.

“I’ve played four tournaments since returning to the States. One was in Japan, the next one was at Muirfield Village in Ohio, then we played one near Los Angeles,” said the 19-year-old Craigielaw player. “We travelled to Hawaii for our final tournament which wasn’t too shabby!

“As far as results are concerned, I finished in the top ten in Ohio and finished second individually at nine-under in the tournament in LA.”

Forrest captured the Scottish Amateur title at Royal Dornoch a few weeks after the death from cancer of his father Graeme, who would have turned 50 during the week of the SGU’s flagship event in the Highlands.

It was his third national title after also winning the Scottish Under-16s in 2009 then adding the Scottish Boys the following year.

“I’m just finishing up my exams this week then heading home for a month,” added Forrest, who was signed for USD by Tim Mickelson, Phil’s brother, although he has since moved to Arizona State as head coach.

“I’m looking forward to that as I definitely felt a bit of burnout after the very busy end to the summer and then all the travelling straight after.”

Forrest has been included in the SGU’s transitional squad for 2012-13 along with five other players who are either based at an American college or university at the moment or will be soon.

His main target next season will be to force his way into the reckoning for GB&I’s defence of the Walker Cup at the National Golf Links of America.