The inaugural Saltire Energy Paul Lawrie Match-Play Championship is going to offer those competing on the European Tour valuable match-play experience.
With the world’s top-64 teeing up later today (WED) in the WGC – Cadillac Match-Play Championship in San Francisco Lawrie many of those European Tour members not in the top-64 to chance to hone their match-play skills on the Murcar Links course just north of Lawrie’s beloved Aberdeen.
Paul Lawrie with Aberdeen FC Captain Russsell Anderson at the media launch of the 2015 Saltire Energy Paul Lawric Match-Play Championship at Murcar Links. (Photo – Stuart Adams/www.golftourimages.com)
The golf media got the chance to catch-up with Lawrie yesterday ahead of taking to the Murcar Links course that was in absolute fabulous condition ahead of the event taking place from July 30th to Aug 2nd.
And not having had match-play experience himself until competing in the 1999 Ryder Cup, and the year he captured the Open Championship at Carnoustie, Lawrie is hoping his event will introduce match-play format to potential future European Ryder Cup competitors.
“The Ryder Cup is a massive part of the tour and hopefully this event will be good preparation for some of the up and coming players on the tour,” said Lawrie.
Paul Lawrie with Aberdeen FC Captain Russsell Anderson at the media launch of the 2015 Saltire Energy Paul Lawric Match-Play Championship at Murcar Links. (Photo – Stuart Adams/www.golftourimages.com)
“The reaction from the boys on tour has been good. I haven’t played a hell of lot this year, so I’ve not had a huge chance to gain reaction who is going to play and who isn’t as the schedules are still up in the air. But there’s a lot of enthusiasm for it.
“A lot of the guys haven’t played match-play since the amateur days so they are looking forward to that.
“For me I have a three events coming up and that’s a chance to speak to the guys about playing. It’s caught the imagination of the players.”
Definition of pressure – Teeing off at Murcar Links with former Open Champion Paul Lawrie looking on. (Photo – Stuart Adams/www.golftourimages.com)
Then after the formal part of the day the eight-time European Tour winner joined the media in playing three holes with each of the four groups.
“Murcar Links will be good for match-play,” he said.
“There are plenty of risk and reward holes. If it’s flat calm like any links course there will be lots of birdies. If it blows a bit, which we hope it does, then there will be some very challenging holes.
“However Murcar is in awesome condition at this time of the year and come July they will be in for a treat. If it is calm as I said there will be birdies and that’s why I chose it. We want it to be exciting, we want it to be close with birdies and we’ll get that here.”
The winning team with Saltire Energy Paul Lawrie Match-Play host Paul Lawrie.
Lawrie later handed out the prizes to the leading group along with signed limited edition poster size prints of a Open Championship montage of all former winners of the Claret Jug.
So many thanks to Saltire Energy, Four Sports, Murcar Links Golf Club and Paul himself for a wonderful day.
Daily Record’s Euan McLean is presented with a Caledonian putter by Paul Lawrie for the ‘Shot of the Round’ during the Saltire Energy Paul Lawrie Match-Play Championship Media outing on Murcar Links.
