Paul Lawrie flies to Hawaii on Tuesday for
the Mercedes Championships with a cheque for £125,000 already guaranteed.
He didn't
win the Williams World Challenge in Arizona, an elite Millennium-launching tournament for
12 invited players. A closing 74, partly played through an unseasonal hail storm in the
desert saw him slip to seventh place, a long way behind the winner, Tom Lehman.
But Lawrie did beat the man behind the event, Tiger Woods, by two shots, the US PGA
champion showing, after all, that like the rest of us, he is human. It was his worst round
for two years and only the third time in 36 rounds he failed to equal or better par.
Once again the one-time Scottish Professional title winner and current Open champion
has proved that he can live with the best. His 66 was bettered by no one in the third
round.
It will be fascinating to follow his progress on the US Tour before he makes his first
appearance on the European Tour, in Dubai, in early March.
