Paul Lawrie’s position in the European Ryder Cup team has been confirmed with the Scot now to end a 13-year absence since making his debut in the 1999 Ryder Cup.
Lawrie has finally cemented his place in Jose Maria Olazabal’s side following Sergio Garcia’s victory in the Monday’s conclusion to the rain affected Wyndham Championship.
Lawrie, 43 is currently lying fourth on the European qualifying points table and cannot be unseated no matter the outcome of this week’s final qualifying events – the European Tour’s Johnnie Walker Championship and the PGA Tour’s Barclays Championship at Bethpage Park.
Paul Lawrie heading to next month's Ryder Cup. (Photo - Stuart Adams/www.golftourimages.com)
“It’s nice and absolutely done,” said Lawrie.
“It’s been in the back of my mind and the front of mind for quite a while now as you can imagine.
“So chuffed to be in the team. It’s been a long time. It’s been 13 years since I played last time, so can’t wait.”
Lawrie confirmation he has made the team will ensure he will be the oldest player in both the European and USA sides.
The Scot will be some four years older than then next oldest European in England’s Lee Westwood and 17 months older than Phil Mickelson will be making his ninth straight Ryder Cup showing.
And Lawrie will be also four months shy of being 20-years older than the youngest member of Olazabal’s side, Rory McIlroy.
“There have been older players that have played in the Ryder Cup and I’m 43 but it’s unique not to have played in it so long and to come back at that age and qualify,” said Lawrie.
“Sometimes you don’t realise how good you’ve got to play to get in a team like that and to qualify fourth or fifth, and how well you got to do it.
“It’s a huge achievement, and as I’ve said before, it might even be bigger that The Open win; but when you think about it, The Open will always be the biggest.
“So it’s the second biggest achievement of my career.
“And I don’t often say I’m proud of myself but I am.”
Lawrie is among just three members of Olazabal’s side contesting this week’s event in Scotland.
He is joined by Italian Francesco Molinari, lying fifth on the points table and Sweden’s Peter Hanson, presently placed seventh.
Also teeing-up will be the Belgium’s Nicolas Colsaerts (12th on the points table), England’s David Lynn (13th) and Spain’s Rafa Cabrera-Bello (14th).
Colsaerts, who arrived in Scotland after finishing a superb seventh behind Garcia in North Carolina, can find his way inside the leading 10 Ryder Cup qualifiers by finishing top-two at Gleneagles.
If so, it would knock Germany’s Martin Kaymer, who is currently 10th on the points table, and outside the 10 and then needing a ‘wildcard’ pick given the 2010 PGA Champion is not competing this week.
