Surviving the Storm: The Nexo Championship Battle at Trump International

What’s Happening in Aberdeenshire?

Imagine playing golf while a hair dryer blasts you in the face — from the side. That’s basically what the world’s best golfers are dealing with right now at the Nexo Championship in Scotland.

The tournament takes place at Trump International Golf Links in Balmedie, Aberdeenshire, right on the North Sea coastline. The "Old Course" layout is famous for being beautiful but brutal when the wind picks up. And boy, has it picked up.

Why Is This Tournament So Different?

IMPORTANT: This isn’t your typical golf tournament.

Only 17 players are under par after two rounds (that’s tiny!)

The cut line is +5 over par — the highest of the entire season

Last year, only 9 players finished the whole tournament under par

12 out of 18 holes are playing over par so far

One hole has caused 42 double bogeys or worse — and counting!

Meet the Main Characters

Matthew Southgate — The Solo Leader

The Englishman sits alone at the top of the leaderboard. While everyone else fights the wind, he’s finding fairways and making putts.

Grant Forrest — The Defending Champ Struggling

Won here last year with a course-record 66 (-6)
This year: 72 + 76 = +4 (8 shots behind!)
Drew the "bad side of the draw" — worst weather both days
"There’s no let up, no forgiveness really. You’ve just got to be on it or you get punished."

Patrick Reed — The Tour Leader Shocked

Currently #1 in the Race to Dubai (the season-long points race)
Practice rounds: hitting 3-wood or 2-iron off the 10th tee
Tournament rounds: driver, 3-wood, pitching wedge into the same green
"The golf course played completely different from Monday through Wednesday."
Scores: 72 + 73 = +1

Scott Jamieson — The Veteran Fighting for His Card

Age 42, lives in Florida but Scottish through and through
Currently 135th in Race to Dubai — needs a big finish to keep his tour card
Scores: 70 + 71 = -3 (tied 3rd!)
"I enjoy playing golf and level par is a good score round here."

Connor Syme — The Comeback Kid

Rough season: only 5 cuts made in 15 starts
Friday: flawless 68 (best round of the day!)
Now at -1, just outside top 10
"Definite signs of some really good golf coming."

Eliot Baker — The Amateur Sensation

Only amateur in the field
Scores: 69 + 73 = -2 (tied 6th!)
Prepping for next month’s Walker Cup at Lahinch
"To be up there on the leaderboard going into the weekend on my debut, I couldn’t be happier."

Shaun Norris — The Fan Who Became a Contender

Watched last year on TV, loved the course so much he entered this year
Scores: 69 in Round 2 = -3 (tied 3rd)
"It’s really an unbelievable golf course. You’ve got to plan your way around it."

Matthew Jordan — The Hot Starter

Birdie, Birdie, Birdie, EAGLE to start Round 2!
Knew the back nine would be brutal into a left-to-right wind
"To start like that enabled me to then just hopefully try and plod along."

The Monster Hole: #8

Stat	Details
Length	500 yards
Par	4
Damage	42+ double bogeys or worse
Status	Hardest hole on the course

THINK ABOUT IT: A 500-yard par 4 is basically a par 5 for most humans. Into a 20mph wind? It’s a nightmare.

Wild Moments From the First Two Days

Hole-in-One!

Shubhankar Sharma (India) aced the 178-yard 6th hole on Friday. In this wind? Incredible.

The Quintuple Bogey

Haydn McCullen (England) made a 10 on the par-5 10th hole (that’s 5 over par on one hole).

Both made the cut. Golf is weird.

Score Range

Low: 67 — Marcus Kinhult (Round 1 leader)
High: 86 — Ryan Van Velzen
Spread: 19 shots!

What’s Coming This Weekend?

Good News: The Wind Drops

Forecast calls for the north-westerly wind (15-20 mph Thu/Fri) to calm down. This changes everything:

Scores will drop — players can actually attack pins
The cut line might look silly — +5 could be way above the weekend field average
Comebacks are possible — Forrest at +4 isn’t dead yet if he shoots weekend 60s
New strategy needed — course management shifts from "survive" to "score"

Simple Golf Terms Explained

Term	What It Means (ELI5)
Under Par	Took fewer shots than the course says you should
Over Par	Took more shots than expected
Cut	After 2 rounds, bottom half of players go home
Race to Dubai	Season-long points race; top players get bonuses & majors entry
Tour Card	Your "membership" to play on the big tour next year
Draw	Which tee time you get (morning vs afternoon = different weather)
Links Golf	Coastal golf on sandy soil with few trees — wind is the defense

Summary: The Story So Far

The 2026 Nexo Championship has turned into a survival test rather than a golf tournament. Hurricane-force winds off the North Sea have turned a beautiful links course into a beast that’s chewing up professionals and spitting them out.

Key storylines for the weekend:

Southgate tries to hold off the pack
Jamieson & Norris battle at -3 for career-changing finishes
Baker chases history as an amateur contender
Forrest & Reed need miracle weekends to contend
Everyone watches the wind forecast like hawks

With calmer conditions expected, the final 36 holes could produce fireworks — or more carnage. Either way, it’s links golf at its purest: man (and woman) vs. nature.

FAQ: Your Questions Answered

Why is the cut at +5 when that’s usually terrible?

Because the course is playing so hard that even the pros can’t score. +5 means you only played 5 shots worse than a perfect pro over two days — in 20mph wind. That’s actually impressive!

What’s the "bad side of the draw"?

Tee times are split: half play morning, half afternoon. Weather changes. This year, Thursday morning + Friday afternoon got the worst wind/rain combo. Forrest got that draw. Bad luck!

Can an amateur actually win?

Technically yes, but they can’t accept prize money. Baker would get the trophy and exemptions, but the cash goes to the highest-finishing pro. Still — winning a pro event as an amateur is legendary.

Why do links courses get so much harder in wind?

No trees = no windbreak. Sandy soil = firm, fast greens. Rolling terrain = weird bounces. The wind isn’t just a factor — it is the defense.

What happens if the wind dies completely?

Low scores. Really low. The course becomes "gettable" and someone could shoot 64-65. That’s why the leaders can’t relax — a calm day turns this into a birdie fest.

Article based on reporting by Mathieu Wood for the DP World Tour. All quotes and statistics from official tournament coverage.

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