Top-ranked Scot Paul Lawrie has gone a crash weight loss diet in a bid to win a first-ever Scottish Open and a hopeful second Open Championship success a week later.
Lawrie got back from the WGC – Cadillac Championship earlier this year in Miami looking more like a luxury motorhome than trim-lined golfer who won the 1999 Open at Carnoustie.
The Aberdonian, who was recently awarded an OBE in the Queen’s Birthday Honours List, got on the scales to reveal he was close to weighing 16 stone.
Paul Lawrie shreds close to three kilogram as he looks to win for a first time this year. (Photo – www.golffile.ie)
But now after backing off the candy bars and ice cream the 44-year has shred nearly two stone.
“When I got back from Doral I weighed about 15 stone 3 pounds, and though I hid it well, that was just too big,” he said.
“So I’ve lost about a stone-and-a-half to a stone-and-three-quarters but I was just felt too big to be fair.
“I am now a wee smidgen lighter back to 13 stone 7 but I just went overboard.
“My fighting weight would be a few pounds heavier say 14 stone but no heavier.
“I can’t work out so it is all down to dieting and it’s meant cutting out the chocolate, no ice cream but I still enjoy a drink at night.”
And as Lawrie gears up for The Open starting on July 18th he’s also gone from 37-inch waist trousers to a size 34.
Lawrie battled a lower back and also a groin injury last week in Ireland and has revealed he is staring at possible surgery later in the year on a nagging left foot.
“When I spoke to the surgeons about my foot I was advised there is a high chance of it not working with just one operation,” he said.
“Even after the one operation I will need about five to six months off competition, and I just can’t do that.
“It is worst when I am on a serious slope and all the weight is on my foot then it’s a nightmare and there is not much more I can do.
“So I won’t have the operation and I will just kick on and have treatment.
“I’m 44 years of age and when you have a nice run of tournaments coming up, you just can’t do it so I just take pills. I will have a couple of pills on the practice putting green before teeing-up, and sometimes I might need a few more later on.
“So, I’ve had to stop working out.”
Those tournaments include this week’s French Open to be followed by the Scottish Open, and the only ‘Scottish’ event Lawrie has not won, and then a celebratory 21st Open Championship appearance.
And while Ireland’s four Major Winner’s crashed out under the weight of expectation in last week’s Irish Open, Lawrie’s suggested his tartan compatriots take a leaf out of the Sir Alex Ferguson’s book.
“It was what Fergie (Sir. Alex Ferguson) was on about with David Moyce as they were saying that it will be tough for him with Fergie above him in the boardroom,” he added.
“Well Fergie sees it as a help. He used people of Busby and Bobby Charlton to help him as opposed to them being a hindrance.
“So you have to use it as an advantage. You have to enjoy it and play well. You want to be there and you want people to think you can win. It has to be that way.
“The Irish people last week wanted an Irishman to win as the French will want to see a Frenchman win this week, and it will be the same at the Scottish Open for all the Scottish players.”
