Lawrie just comes up short in play-off

PAUL LAWRIE, the former Open champion, was pipped in a play-off to the Jersey Legends title by Australia’s Richard Green.

Lawrie, a winner of the Scottish Senior Open on the over-50s circuit in 2019, had finished alongside Green on 10 under after a 71, but the Scot succumbed at the third extra hole when he stumbled to a bogey.

Lawrie’s fellow Scot, Euan McIntosh, a winner on the Legends Tour in Austria recently, missed out on the play-off by a single shot on nine under having shot a final-round 70.

For Green, it was his maiden Legends Tour title after also posting a closing 71 to join Lawrie on 10 under.

The duo both made par on the first trip down the par-four 17th hole and the par-four 18th hole at La Moye Golf Club.

On the third play-off hole, Lawrie saw his approach shot find the rough at the back of the green giving Green the opportunity to make par, which he duly converted.

Winning the Jersey Legends means Green has won in every decade since turning professional in 1992, firstly at the Dubai Desert Classic in 1997, the BA-CA Golf Open presented by Telekom Austria in 2007 and the Portugal Masters in 2010.

“I feel fantastic,” he said. “Obviously to play that well under that pressure in the closing holes was very pleasing.

“I haven’t been there for a while. I’ve put myself in some situations over the years which has been very testing but it’s just nice to come out on top.

“I was about as nervous as it gets. To play against Paul in the heat of the battle, it’s a tough exercise which meant I had to play my best golf to win. He has had a great career and won many tournaments and won The Open and I knew it wasn’t going to be easy so yeah I felt really nervous, but I’m really pleased that managed to pull the shots off that I needed to.”

I