Lawrie gets back to winning ways with Pro-Am victory

PAUL Lawrie of Scotland became the fourth person to win both the Dimension Data ProAm and The Open Championship when he took the 2017 Dimension Data Pro-Am by one stroke on Saturday. Unlike the others, he won The Open first.

He joined Nick Price, Darren Clarke and Louis Oosthuizen as the only players to win both, but he won his major championship back in 1999. He held off the challenge of Justin Hicks of the United States, local player Chris Swanepoel, and England’s Chris Lloyd after rounds on each of the courses at Fancourt Hotel and Golf Estate, and then the final round on Montagu.

Lawrie was bogey-free in his final round of five-underpar 67 after turning in threeunder, and, in the end, the other players were unable to take advantage of whatever chances came their way. “I got off to a nice start today and just kept it going,” he said. “But, again, I didn’t make a lot of putts on the back nine. I birdied 10 with about a six-footer and I two-putted the last for birdie. But overall, I’m obviously delighted. I haven’t won in four years, so it’s great to come here and win – especially playing with my son.”

He was partnered with son Michael for the tournament, as was Lee Westwood, the 2000 Dimension Data Pro-Am champion, with his son Sam.

With a friendly wager on the outcome, honours were even. “Any time Lee Westwood’s in the field, you’ve got to play well,” he said.

And Lawrie, in joining Westwood as a winner of the tournament, has given himself a good start to his golfing year. “The win gives me a big boost,” he said. “Tee-to-green this week, I’ve hardly put a foot wrong all week, and I’ve holed a few putts.

“I’m going to take a bit of a break now and spend a few weeks at home and come back out with that boost in my confidence.”

In addition, he gets a place in the WGC-Bridgestone Championship. “I didn’t know that I get into the event until last night – maybe that’s why I played so well today!” he laughed. “But that’s a nice bonus. First and foremost, you’re here to play as well as you can, and if you’ve got a chance on the back nine and you take it, then the bonuses come.”

He put his hand up to challenge for the title with his opening three rounds of 69-6969, which put him two off the pace going into the final round. “Yesterday afternoon, I hit it really nicely and didn’t make any putts on the back nine,” he said. “I kind of felt I was playing really well, and then it fell into place today.” – Sunshine Tour