Mcilroy signs up for Gullane as he plots another Open triumph
HE HAS bigger fish to fry these days than playing regularly on the circuit that provided his first professional win in the Moray Seafoods Open at Buckpool. It will be far from a chore for Paul Lawrie, however, to be back on the Tartan Tour for the Gleneagles Scottish PGA Championship starting tomorrow.
The Aberdonian may have used that success in the first event he entered as a professional as a springboard to become an Open champion, seven-times European Tour winner and a two-times Ryder Cup player, but he has never forgotten his golfing roots.
Without the opportunities that he was offered in cutting his competitive teeth playing in PGA Scotland events, the former Banchory assistant may never have secured a foothold higher up the ladder in the professional game. He freely admits that and has made a conscious effort over the years to stay as one of the boys on the occasions he plays on the Scottish circuit.
“I played with these guys when I came through,” said Lawrie as he savoured the prospect of locking horns with the likes of Greig Hutcheon, Stephen Mcallister, Robert Arnott, Fraser Mann, Andrew Oldcorn, Kenny Hutton and Lee Vannet in a £40,000 event being played over four days on the King’s Course.
“I learned my trade on the Tartan Tour because there were more fourround events when I played. It’s more pro-ams now, which is why I introduced my Invitational event at Deeside. I feel they were good to me when I played, so any time I can I go back.”
The 46-year-old isn’t entirely sure when he last pegged it up in the Tartan Tour’s flagship event. What he does know, however, is that his name is etched twice on the trophy, having first lifted it at Cardross in 1992 then emulating the feat 13 years later at Gleneagles.
“Even though 1992 was my first year on the European Tour, I always planned to play the Scottish – it’s a big event and one I wanted to win,” recalled Lawrie. “I’d got my card, retained it early and won at Cardross. I also won the European Under-25s just after that in France.”
Since playing four weeks in a row at the start of the year, Lawrie has made only one outing on the European Tour, missing the cut in the Volvo China Open in Shanghai just over a week ago. This spin in Perthshire is aimed at getting him firing on all cylinders ahead of the upcoming Spanish Open, BMW PGA Championship and Irish Open.
“I knew I wouldn’t be playing much golf after the Middle East and prior to the Spanish Open. So Michael (Macdougall, his Foundation manager) said the Scottish PGA was Sunday to Wednesday which suits me with a few days before Spain. It’ll be nice. I’m staying down for the week and I’m looking forward to it.”
Lawrie said he was “hacked off” after limping home in 42 to miss the cut in Shanghai. Sitting 127th in this season’s Race to Dubai, he needs to see his fortunes pick up pretty quick to avoid needing one of just two invitations up for grabs in the new Saltire Energysponsored event also bearing his name at Murcar Links at the end of July. A third win at Gleneagles – in addition to the aforementioned success in this event, his 2012 Johnnie Walker Championship success on the PGA Centenary Course secured a Ryder Cup return at Medinah after a 13-year absence – would be a nice fillip.
“I think like any athlete – funny calling myself that – every day you have doubts, unless you’re playing nicely all the time and holing all the putts,” he said. “But I still hit balls every day. I still feel I have the game. I’m competitive and I’m longer than ever. It’s not as if I’m losing stuff by getting older. But it’s not been great the last couple of years, we all know that. The results have not been what I wanted. But one week can turn it around and off you go.”
West Linton’s Gareth Wright is the defending champion in a field that has been doubled in size from last year to 132. It includes two women – host club hope Heather Macrae and Nicola Ferguson (American Golf) – and the former in particular will have her sights set on being among the top 50 and ties after 36 holes in order to progress to the final two rounds. WORLD No 1 Rory Mcilroy has confirmed he will play in this summer’s Aberdeen Asset Management Scottish Open, further strengthening the lineup at Gullane Golf Club, which hosts the event for the first time.
The 25-year-old Northern Irishman will compete in the £3.25 million tournament for the second season running after returning to the prestigious event for the first time since 2009 – a decision which paid dividends when he won The Open Championship the following week, claiming the third of his four major titles in stunning style at Royal Liverpool Golf Club.
Mcilroy has once again opted to hone his enviable links game in Scotland the week before heading around the Firth of Forth to St Andrews to defend the Claret Jug, and he joins a world-class field at Gullane from 9-12 July.
The reigning Open and US PGA Champion is the fourth successive person to capture the Claret Jug the week after playing in the Scottish Open, following in the footsteps of Darren Clarke (2011), Ernie Els (2012) and Phil Mickelson (2013).
Defending champion Justin Rose, his fellow Englishman Luke Donald and Americans Phil Mickelson and Matt Kuchar are already confirmed, while home favourites Marc Warren and Stephen Gallacher, third and tied fourth respectively in 2014, will also tackle Gullane’s Championship course – a composite of No 1 and No 2.
“Adding the Aberdeen Asset Management Scottish Open to my schedule in 2014 proved to be a great move, as it allowed me to get four competitive rounds of links golf under my belt a week before The Open,” said Mcilroy, who led after round one at Royal Aberdeen thanks to a sublime seven-underpar 64 and eventually finished tied 14th, nine shots back from Rose.
“It is great to have this fantastic event, played on some of the best links courses in the world, and then to move on to the Open the following week.
“Last year I started really well and had two good rounds over the weekend but a disappointing second round set me a little too far back to contend. So, this year I’m keen to pick up where up I left off and hopefully be right up there on Sunday afternoon. I know Gullane from my amateur days as it has hosted a lot of great Scottish amateur events. I can’t wait to get back to see the composite Championship course.”