Scotland’s Paul Lawrie struggled in lifting the gleaming ‘Mother of Pearl’ trophy thirteen years after first winning the Qatar Masters.
The Scort recorded a third and final round 65 in the wind affected event that matched his lowest score in 48 rounds of the Doha Golf Club course with the last occasion he shot seven under being in winning in 1999.
However when Lawrie again reached to lift the trophy he remarked: “I’m 43 now and it feels a lot heavier than in 1999.
Paul Lawrie stuggling to lift Qatar Masters trophy 13 years after his first Doha success. (Photo - www.golfbytourmiss.com)
“I’m also shaking I’m that pleased.”
Lawrie went into the last day leading by one and he got the start he got the start he needed with a birdie at the first.
But with 10 holes remaining Lawrie found himself tied with Sergio Garcia on nine under par.
However Lawrie, who admitted he had trouble sleeping the night before, then capped his round by holing a 20-yard chip shot for eagle at the par five ninth and then strolling to victory with four birdies over his closing eight holes.
Lawrie birdied the 11th, 14th and then chipped-in for birdie at the 16th and 17th holes before standing on the final green and staring at five putts from 30 feet to still win by a shot but with the Scot needing just two for a par.
“I don’t feel as though I could have played much better than that and it’s just nice to come out leading by one at the start of the day and shoot seven under,” he said.
“The eagle gave me a great cushion heading to the back nine and though I didn’t sleep that well last night, and with things racing through your mind over the back nine, I just put that all behind me and got back to basics playing one shot at a time.
“It’s never that easy when it’s tight but to be able to walk up the last with a four shot lead was something special.”
And when Lawrie was reminded his 1999 success that then led to victory at Carnoustie he said: “Now wouldn’t that be nice to win that double again.
“But I just love this golf course and it’s always fun to play here and it’s a course where you have to shape the ball both ways and I enjoy playing a course like that.”
Many tournament doors will now open for Lawrie who has jumped from 78th to 45th on the world rankings and back inside the top-50 for a first time since 2003.
He firstly earns a place in next month’s $US 8.5m WGC – Accenture Match-Play Championship.
But of immense joy to Lawrie is he’ll earn an invitation to contest April’s U.S. Masters in he stays inside the top-50 up to April 1st.
If so, he should also contest June’s U.S. Open in San Francisco.
While exempt into July’s Open Championship, Lawrie also will contest August’s back-to-back WGC – Bridgestone Invitational and PGA Championship.
It will be Lawrie’s first appearance at Augusta and in a U.S. Open in eight years, and it’s been 10 years since he contested the PGA Championship.
He also will now contest November’s WGC – HSBC Champions event in Shanghai.
Lawrie’s Euro Euro 316,020 first prize cheque takes him to third on the Race to Dubai and fourth on the Ryder Cup points qualifying table and hopefully a return to the Ryder for a first and only since 1999.
“I must be doing something right as it’s been a long time since I was inside the top-50 and if I manage to hold on and get into the Masters, it’s going to be huge,” he said.
Australia’s Jason Day, with four birdies in a row to start each nine, also posted a 65 to share second place on 11-under par with Sweden’s Peter Hanson (67).
And double Major winning John Daly jumps straight in at 21st on the Race to Dubai after a 67 earned him fourth place at nine under par.
