When it comes to television viewing in Peter Lawrie’s young household Peppa Pig easily won out over new World No. 1 Rory McIlroy.

Lawrie is returning to competition after a month’s break and revealing he’s missed much of the coverage of Rory McIlroy’s success in the U.S. in sitting through numerous episodes of Peppa Pig.

Lawrie is among six Irish contesting the Miguel Angel Jimenez hosted Andalucian Open being played on the Aloha course near Marbella.

Unfortunately, Lawrie’s Scotland namesake has had to withdraw from his defence of the Spanish title with Paul Lawrie suffering a chest infection.

Also out is double Masters winning Jose Maria Olazabal with a right foot injury.

Peppa pig comes up trumps in Peter Lawrie's young household

Lawrie hasn’t competed since playing all three ‘Desert Swing’ events earlier this year and with four children under the age of 10, the Dubliner’s gets little opportunity to sit down to watch taped coverage of any golf.

“There’s been one real benefit sitting at home as I can answer any question about Peppa Pig you want to throw at me,” he laughed.

 “Seriously, Rory’s been very impressive and he’s some talent.

 “I’ve always said Rory is a superstar in the making and now he’s proving it, and the question now is can anyone keep up with him?

 “And rather than arrive at Augusta with any scars from what happened last year, Rory will arrive there boasting how well he’s done.

“He led the event last year by four strokes and Rory’s nearly a shoe-in to win this year. He’s just improved so much and his putting is so much better.

“But most of all his confidence is overflowing and now anytime he gets a sniff of a chance, he’s in there, and it’s like any sport as there is always someone better coming through and Rory’s it at the moment.”

Lawrie has had some golf since finishing 28th in Dubai and that was spending 10 days in Morocco in the company of long-time coach, Brendan McDaid at the Amanatlas Golf Academy in Marrakech.

Lawrie signed on late last year to represent the Academy while McDaid spent Wednesday working on the Aloha range with Lawrie before returning home.

“It’s been good to have Brendan out with me because it’s been such a stop and start season already this year as I didn’t play India so that’s a month off without any competition,” said Lawrie.

And Lawrie tees up on the Costa del Sol with a very good record competing in Spain capped by his 2008 Spanish Open success in Seville.

“Spain has certainly been very good to me as I’ve had a first, a second also in the Spanish Open along with being beaten in a play-off in Tenerife plus a third, a fourth and you name it.

“But this Aloha course is a lot different to what we normally play and this golf course is the type of course my game is built around.

“It’s short and you would only use driver about two to three times, so you’re going to need a good short game and I could not have asked for a better course to get back into competition after having a month off.”

Lawrie is among six Irish competing in Spain including Michael Hoey who was in Florida the same time McIlroy was winning the Honda Classic.

Hoey travelled to the States to compete in a Pro-Am at the Seminole Club as guest of Alfred Dunhill Links championship winning amateur team mate, Bill Farish.

“Bill’s a member at Seminole and Augusta and his father used to be an ambassador when George W Bush was President,” said Hoey.

“I met Jack Nicklaus, Greg Norman and Nick Price and managed to get ‘The Shark’ to sign a few gloves for charity fund raising.”

And Hoey, like Lawrie is equally impressed with McIlroy’s efforts but delighted to get his name on at least one trophy before the current World No. 1.

“I guess now that Rory looks like being World No. 1 for some time I can look back and say that I beat Rory to a trophy,” he said.