Tributes pour in for Paul Lawrie as he takes his final Tour bow
Paul Lawrie will not receive the send-off he so plainly deserves when he plays his last competitive round on the European Tour either on Friday or on Sunday. But still the 1999 Open champion will bid farewell to the circuit, on which he has made 620 appearances, knowing he has left a lasting impression.
That much was made obvious by the many Tour colleagues who lined up to pay tribute to the 51-year-old, following his surprise announcement on the first day of the ASI Scottish Open at The Renaissance Club.
“Every young professional could learn so much from him,” Thomas Bjorn said. “A fierce competitor and a true gentleman at the same time.”
Meanwhile, after a brilliant 62, Lee Westwood was also keen to add his own praise: “Paul is one of the best bad-weather players I ever played with. He was a great Ryder Cup team-mate and will be hugely missed out here.”
For his part, Lawrie managed to keep his emotions in check, although his 73 that left him on two-over and in a tie for 86th must have validated his decision.
“The main reason is that I don’t feel I can compete week in and week out at this level anymore, and the second is I’m really busy off the course and enjoying doing that stuff more than I am actually playing at this level,” Lawrie said. I haven’t retired – I’ll keep playing on the Seniors Tour.”
Lawrie played in the early wind and rain at the East Lothian links, with Westwood taking full and emphatic advantage of the calmer conditions in the afternoon. On nine-under, the 47-year-old, looking for his second Scottish Open title 22 years after his first, holds a one-shot cushion over Swede Alexander Bjork and Dutchman Joost Luiten, with Glaswegian Scott Jamieson a further shot back in fourth.
