Paul Lawrie claims maiden Staysure Tour win at Scottish Senior Open
Sunday 18 August 2019 20:12, UK
Paul Lawrie secured his maiden over-50s title with a two-shot victory on home soil at the Scottish Senior Open.
The 1999 Open Champion posted a level-par 71 in windy conditions at Craigelaw Golf Club to hold of the challenge of Peter Baker and Peter Fowler and win for the first time on the Staysure Tour.
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Lawrie birdied the par-five second and cancelled out a bogey at the next by birdieing the fourth and seventh on his way to reaching the turn in 33.
The Scot bogeyed the 10th and 13th but produced a run of pars over the closing stretch to end the week on two under, as overnight leader Fowler struggled to a final-round 75.
"I've always enjoyed playing in Scotland and that is my fourth win in my home country and I'm very proud of that," he said. "I think a lot of the players struggle to play in their own country with expectations on them, but I've always felt comfortable playing in front of Scottish people.
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"It doesn't matter what tour it is, winning is difficult; it's not easy. Peter Baker did a top effort to get in the house at level par, so my job was to get in at one under par, that was the only job I was thinking about and I managed to finish one better than that.
"I've not won since 2012 on the European Tour. Obviously, I'm a senior now and I'm playing senior events. I want to be one of the top players on the Staysure Tour and I want to be one of the top seniors, so this win is a massive step to doing that.
"My game has been getting betting for a few weeks and I've been telling people that I'm getting there and I'm going to win soon. The Senior Open was the first week where I felt my foot and my back were where I needed them to be."
Englishman David Shacklady and Markus Brier of Austria posted rounds of 69 and 73 respectively, to finish at one over par and tied-fourth, with Phillip Price and Ian Woosnam also finishing inside the top 10.
