LAWLOR READY TO MAKE HIS EUROPEAN TOUR BOW

IRELAND’S Brendan Lawlor, who is one of the world’s top disabled golfers, will make his European Tour debut in the ISPS Handa UK Championship at The Belfry this week. Lawlor turned professional in September last year, shortly after winning the European Disabled Golf Association (EDGA) Scottish Open, which was played over the same course at the Renaissance Club used for the ASI Scottish Open. The 22-year-old, who is fourth in the World Rankings for Golfers with Disability, has a rare condition called Ellis-van Creveld syndrome, a disability characterised by a shorter stature and shorter limbs. ‘I am really looking forward to making my European Tour debut competing alongside some of the best players in the world,’ said Lawlor, who is sponsored by the tournament’s title partner. ‘To have the opportunity to represent disability golfers across the world is a fantastic honour and I hope to have a solid few rounds to showcase that disability golfers are talented in their own right.’ Meanwhile, the CJ Cup has been moved from Jeju Island in South Korea to Shadow Creek in Las Vegas due to the coronavirus pandemic.

The tournament has been held at The Club @ Nine Bridges since 2017, but with a 14-day quarantine in place in South Korea for anyone travelling from the United States, staging the event there this year has been deemed impossible. PGA Tour executive vicepresident Ty Votaw said: ‘While our players have always looked forward to visiting Korea, this has provided this new opportunity to bring the event to Las Vegas.’ The CJ Cup will again feature a 78-man field and takes place from October 15-18. The Zozo Championship, won last year by Tiger Woods, is also expected to move from Japan to a venue on the west coast of the United States.