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Paul Lawrie emerges from
1999 Open shadow
After living in the shadow of Jean Van de Velde’s failure at Carnoustie
since 1999, Paul Lawrie finally won the right to be considered an outstanding
golfer in his own right when he holed a 60-foot putt at the Old Course on Monday
to secure victory in the Dunhill Links championship.
The rise in Lawrie’s self-esteem is such that he admitted yesterday his
goal was to win another major championship and contend for the Order of Merit
title in 2002. While the down-to-earth Aberdonian didn’t go so far as to
suggest a spectre had been removed from his professional life, there was no disguising
the fact the Scot felt that he’d proved a significant point in St Andrews.
"I’ve always understood the attitude that Jean lost the tournament
at Carnoustie," Lawrie replied when asked about the lack of credit he received
for becoming Open champion nearly two and a half years ago. "After all he
was three ahead playing the final hole. If I couldn’t win from that position
then I’d expect folk to say I’d lost too.
"But what those people don’t mention is that I played the best golf
in the play-off and I did win the Open. The Claret Jug went to my house not Jean’s.
Yes, I understood the attitude, but it was still difficult."
Happily, there were no reservations about the style or the quality of Lawrie’s
victory in the Dunhill as he won by a shot from Ernie Els to underline his status
as one of the finest links golfers in the world.
Already, the Scot, 32, who climbed to eighth in the Order of Merit after winning
£551,000, has set his sights on making an impact when the Open returns to
East Lothian next summer - ten years after he made his debut in the venerable
championship.
"I played at Muirfield the year Nick Faldo won in 1992 and finished 22nd.
I’ve not been round there an awful lot but, hopefully, I’ll go back
there a couple of times with Adam Hunter, my coach, during the winter and have
a few games before the Open next July," he said.
"My game has changed a lot over the years. You’ve got to be able
to hit the ball high in the air a lot these days. That was something I couldn’t
do before. I’ve adapted the way I play.
"But I can also go back to knocking it as low as anyone - which is the
way you have to play in links golf. I must be honest and say that links golf is
the part of the game I enjoy most. But if you want to play well in America then
you must be able to hit the ball high as well.
"Without doubt, I believe I can win another major championship. From tee
to green my game is good enough. But I have to putt half decently as well. That’s
why the Dunhill was huge for me. I was able to knock in the putts and give myself
a chance to win.
"However much belief you retain in your own ability, you’ve still
got to do it - you still have to hole the putts to win tournaments. I’ve
been telling you guys all year you can’t win if you putt poorly. My average
has been around 33 or 34 putts. In the third round of the Dunhill I had 27 and
30 on Monday. They’re still not brilliant numbers, but they’re a lot
better than they were."
As for that miraculous putt from the Valley of Sin - a contender, surely, for
shot of the year on the European Tour - Lawrie was honest enough to admit he was
just trying to get the ball close to the hole.
"I’d have been happy to get down in two from where I was at the last,
but after I made the 60-footer I couldn’t stop shaking! Obviously I was very
happy and jumping about. I said to my caddy - this is what we’re out here
for.
"What also meant a lot to me was that I didn’t play my best golf
on Monday but I still shot four-under par and was able to beat Ernie who birdied
the last and must have felt that a play-off was the worst thing which could happen.
Dr Richard Cox, my sports psychologist, will be chuffed with that. Mentally, I
was very strong.
"The way I hit the ball now I’m capable of winning three or four
tournaments each year until I finish my career. I don’t see any reason why
that shouldn’t happen.
"Guys like Darren Clarke, Lee Westwood and Colin Montgomerie are all fantastic
players but I don’t think they are that much better than me. If I hole the
putts I can beat them. I’m really looking forward to next season and will
work on my putting all winter. Hopefully, I’ll come out firing."
Lawrie’s return to form didn’t come soon enough, however, to win
a place in Scotland’s two-man team for next month’s World Cup in Japan.
A vacancy arose when Andrew Oldcorn was forced to pull out because of a troublesome
back injury.
After being advised by his doctor not to make the trip to the Taiheiyo Club
in Gotemba, Oldcorn has reluctantly withdrawn from the event. His place alongside
Andrew Coltart will now go to Dean Robertson, who is also recovering from a neck
injury which caused him to miss the Dunhill Links championship.
Not being able to take part in the World Cup from 15-18 November is a cruel
blow to the King’s Acre golfer who spent a large chunk of his career fighting
for the right to be recognised as a Scot.
Born in Bolton but a resident of Edinburgh for most of his life, Oldcorn’s
dream was to represent his country in either the Dunhill Cup or the World Cup.
"To pull out of playing for Scotland is heartbreaking," he said.
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