Former and fellow Open Champion Paul Lawrie is leading calls to honour the memory of Seve Ballesteros by changing the European Tour icon – the Vardon Race to Dubai logo.

The Tour went to enormous lengths and cost some years ago to source a new logo to coincide with a new tournament schedule direction.

Paul Lawrie recent winner of the Andalucian Open but now calling for changes to 'Race to Dubai' logo.

And it’s understood it was an American organisation and not European that submitted the winning logo.

But many believed at the time the now famed image of Ballesteros taken on the final green at the 1984 Open at St. Andrews should have been the logo rather than that of the six-times Harry Vardon, who captured his last Open in 1914.

“There is quite a few players who believe that it should have been a logo featuring Seve in the first place,” said Lawrie.

“Of course, it’s not for me to tell the Tour what to do.  The current logo is a nice logo and it’s been very well done.

The Race to Dubai logo

“But everyone knows and agrees that it was Seve was the player that really started it all for the European Tour.    He was the difference.

“We shouldn’t be changing the logo just because he’s gone but that’s always been the case so maybe it could have been a Seve logo from the word ‘go’.

“But I absolutely support the idea as it would be a great move.

“Seve is the reason why we are playing on the European Tour, and everyone would have that opinion, so I fully agree with that.”

Fellow Scot Andy Coltart, who has been busy moving house, has found time to get onto Twitter to also call for a change.

“We’ve already got a Harry Vardon Trophy, so why not a Seve logo instead?”, he said. 

 “No disrespect to Harry Vardon, who is obviously is a legend, but today’s strength in the European Tour is down to Seve, and he is 21st century.

“We need to make sure we have some kind of recognition of Seve’s legendary status.

“If we get people tweeting and talking we have a great chance.  I know a lot of the guys are in favour.”

However Ireland’s and former Spanish Open winner, Peter Lawrie considers the timing not appropriate for changes.

“The Tour spent an awful lot of money designing the Vardon logo but then it I would look at it as an emotional reaction if they were to change it now,” said Lawrie.

“The thing is if you look at the history of the Tour, it didn’t start with Seve, and while it would be nice to honour his memory by changing the logo, I’m not in favour of a change just yet.”