Paul Lawrie
Encyclopedia
Paul Stewart Lawrie MBE
(born 1 January 1969) is a Scottish professional golfer
who is best known for winning The Open Championship
in 1999.
. He turned professional in 1986 and became a member of the European Tour in 1992. He performed steadily without doing much to draw attention to himself, aside from a 6th place finish in the 1993 Open Championship
. In his first seven seasons his only top 50 finish on the Order of Merit came in 1996 when he was 21st. However he also finished in the top 100 in all but one of the other six seasons, and picked up a debut tour win at the 1996 Catalan Open
.
Lawrie's career was transformed in 1999. After winning the Qatar Masters
, which is a European Tour event, early in the season, he went on to win the 1999 Open Championship
at Carnoustie
in July. This was the Open where the Frenchman
Jean van de Velde blew a three-shot lead on the final hole. Lawrie won a four-hole playoff against Van de Velde and the American Justin Leonard
. An unusual aspect of Lawrie's victory was that he was neither leader nor co-leader at any time during his regulation 72 holes, only moving into a share of the lead when the leaders came back to him after he had completed his final round. Also, Lawrie came back from the largest third-round deficit ever faced by a major championship
winner; going into the final day, he trailed the leader, Van de Velde, by 10 shots. This is also the record for the biggest final-round comeback on the PGA Tour.
After his major championship victory, Lawrie's game shifted to a higher level without quite moving him into the global elite
group of golfers. He finished 9th on the European Tour Order of Merit in 1999; 6th in 2001, when he captured the lucrative Dunhill Links Championship
; and 10th in 2002, when he won his fifth European Tour title at the Celtic Manor Resort Wales Open.
In March 2001, the Paul Lawrie Foundation was created. The Foundation aims to support and sustain an interest and enthusiasm for the game of golf amongst under 18's. Activities are delivered in a fun and relaxed setting with equipment provided if necessary. The Foundation has grown rapidly and now includes football and hockey. In 2011, a 54 hole tournament, the Paul Lawrie Invitational was added to the Tartan Tour.
After winning the Open, Lawrie was a member of the PGA Tour
for several seasons, while also continuing to compete on the European Tour. He enjoyed little success in the U.S. and when his five year major championship exemption expired at the end of the 2004 season, he lost his PGA Tour card.
Lawrie was the last European player to win a major
until 2007, when that drought was ended by Pádraig Harrington
of Ireland in The Open Championship
. He was the last player from the United Kingdom to win a major until Graeme McDowell
won the 2010 U.S. Open
. Lawrie is still the last player from Scotland to win a major.
At the 2009 Open Championship
, Lawrie scored what is believed to be only the eighth albatross (double eagle) in the competition's 150-year history.
Paul Lawrie is currently sponsored by Kalixa, the prepaid MasterCard, having signed a two year deal on 13 January 2010.
On 27 March 2011, Lawrie won the Open de Andalucía de Golf by one stroke over Johan Edfors
. Lawrie finished the championship at −12 and in doing so ended a nine year period without a tour win.
1 Defeated Justin Leonard and Jean van de Velde in 4-hole playoff: Lawrie (5–4–3–3=15), Leonard (5–4–4–5=18), Van de Velde (6–4–3–5=18)
DNP = Did not play
CUT = missed the half-way cut
"T" indicates a tie for a place
Green background for wins. Yellow background for top-10
1Cancelled due to 9/11
DNP = Did not play
QF, R16, R32, R64 = Round in which player lost in match play
"T" = Tied
Yellow background for top-10.
Note that the HSBC Champions did not become a WGC event until 2009.
MBE
MBE can stand for:* Mail Boxes Etc.* Management by exception* Master of Bioethics* Master of Bioscience Enterprise* Master of Business Engineering* Master of Business Economics* Mean Biased Error...
(born 1 January 1969) is a Scottish professional golfer
Professional golfer
In golf the distinction between amateurs and professionals is rigorously maintained. An amateur who breaches the rules of amateur status may lose his or her amateur status. A golfer who has lost his or her amateur status may not play in amateur competitions until amateur status has been reinstated;...
who is best known for winning The Open Championship
The Open Championship
The Open Championship, or simply The Open , is the oldest of the four major championships in professional golf. It is the only "major" held outside the USA and is administered by The R&A, which is the governing body of golf outside the USA and Mexico...
in 1999.
Life and career
Lawrie was born in AberdeenAberdeen
Aberdeen is Scotland's third most populous city, one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas and the United Kingdom's 25th most populous city, with an official population estimate of ....
. He turned professional in 1986 and became a member of the European Tour in 1992. He performed steadily without doing much to draw attention to himself, aside from a 6th place finish in the 1993 Open Championship
1993 Open Championship
The 1993 Open Championship was the 122nd Open Championship held from 15-18 July at Royal St George's Golf Club in Sandwich, England. Greg Norman won his second Open Championship by two strokes over Nick Faldo.-First round:-Second round:...
. In his first seven seasons his only top 50 finish on the Order of Merit came in 1996 when he was 21st. However he also finished in the top 100 in all but one of the other six seasons, and picked up a debut tour win at the 1996 Catalan Open
Catalan Open
The Catalan Open was a European Tour golf tournament which was played annually from 1989 to 1996, except for 1990. It was played at several different golf courses in Catalonia, Spain. It never had the same full official name two years in a row, due to sponsorship and preferred language changes. The...
.
Lawrie's career was transformed in 1999. After winning the Qatar Masters
Qatar Masters
The Commercialbank Qatar Masters is a golf tournament held at the Doha Golf Club in Doha, Qatar. The tournament was established in 1998, and is one of four European Tour golf tournaments which are staged in the countries of the Persian Gulf, the others being the Abu Dhabi Golf Championship, the...
, which is a European Tour event, early in the season, he went on to win the 1999 Open Championship
1999 Open Championship
The 1999 Open Championship was the 128th Open Championship held from 15-18 July at the Carnoustie Golf Links in Angus, Scotland. Paul Lawrie won his first major championship in a playoff over Jean van de Velde and Justin Leonard. Lawrie, down by 10 strokes at the start of the fourth round,...
at Carnoustie
Carnoustie Golf Links
The Carnoustie Golf Links are in Carnoustie, Angus, Scotland. Its historic championship golf course is one of the venues in the Open Championship rotation.-History:...
in July. This was the Open where the Frenchman
French people
The French are a nation that share a common French culture and speak the French language as a mother tongue. Historically, the French population are descended from peoples of Celtic, Latin and Germanic origin, and are today a mixture of several ethnic groups...
Jean van de Velde blew a three-shot lead on the final hole. Lawrie won a four-hole playoff against Van de Velde and the American Justin Leonard
Justin Leonard
Justin Charles Garrett Leonard is an American professional golfer.Leonard was born and raised in Dallas, Texas. He attended Lake Highlands High School and graduated in 1990. He attended the University of Texas at Austin and was the individual NCAA champion in 1994. He was a two-time All-American...
. An unusual aspect of Lawrie's victory was that he was neither leader nor co-leader at any time during his regulation 72 holes, only moving into a share of the lead when the leaders came back to him after he had completed his final round. Also, Lawrie came back from the largest third-round deficit ever faced by a major championship
Men's major golf championships
The men's major golf championships, commonly known as the Major Championships, and often referred to simply as the majors, are the four most prestigious annual tournaments in professional golf...
winner; going into the final day, he trailed the leader, Van de Velde, by 10 shots. This is also the record for the biggest final-round comeback on the PGA Tour.
After his major championship victory, Lawrie's game shifted to a higher level without quite moving him into the global elite
Elite
Elite refers to an exceptional or privileged group that wields considerable power within its sphere of influence...
group of golfers. He finished 9th on the European Tour Order of Merit in 1999; 6th in 2001, when he captured the lucrative Dunhill Links Championship
Dunhill Links Championship
The Alfred Dunhill Links Championship, is one of the richest golf tournaments on the European Tour. It is played in October, on three different links courses, centred around the "home of golf", St Andrews in Fife, Scotland....
; and 10th in 2002, when he won his fifth European Tour title at the Celtic Manor Resort Wales Open.
In March 2001, the Paul Lawrie Foundation was created. The Foundation aims to support and sustain an interest and enthusiasm for the game of golf amongst under 18's. Activities are delivered in a fun and relaxed setting with equipment provided if necessary. The Foundation has grown rapidly and now includes football and hockey. In 2011, a 54 hole tournament, the Paul Lawrie Invitational was added to the Tartan Tour.
After winning the Open, Lawrie was a member of the PGA Tour
PGA Tour
The PGA Tour is the organizer of the main men's professional golf tours in the United States and North America...
for several seasons, while also continuing to compete on the European Tour. He enjoyed little success in the U.S. and when his five year major championship exemption expired at the end of the 2004 season, he lost his PGA Tour card.
Lawrie was the last European player to win a major
Men's major golf championships
The men's major golf championships, commonly known as the Major Championships, and often referred to simply as the majors, are the four most prestigious annual tournaments in professional golf...
until 2007, when that drought was ended by Pádraig Harrington
Padraig Harrington
Pádraig P. Harrington is an Irish professional golfer who plays on The European Tour and The PGA Tour. He has won three major championships: The Open Championship in 2007 and 2008 and the PGA Championship, also in 2008.-Background:...
of Ireland in The Open Championship
The Open Championship
The Open Championship, or simply The Open , is the oldest of the four major championships in professional golf. It is the only "major" held outside the USA and is administered by The R&A, which is the governing body of golf outside the USA and Mexico...
. He was the last player from the United Kingdom to win a major until Graeme McDowell
Graeme McDowell
Graeme McDowell MBE is a Northern Irish professional golfer.McDowell has won seven events on the European Tour, including the 2010 U.S. Open which was also his first win on the PGA Tour...
won the 2010 U.S. Open
U.S. Open (golf)
The United States Open Championship, commonly known as the U.S. Open, is the annual open golf tournament of the United States. It is the second of the four major championships in golf, and is on the official schedule of both the PGA Tour and the European Tour...
. Lawrie is still the last player from Scotland to win a major.
At the 2009 Open Championship
2009 Open Championship
The 2009 Open Championship was the 138th Open Championship, one of the four major golf championships, and was played from 16–19 July at the Turnberry Resort, in Ayrshire, Scotland. It was the fourth time The Open Championship had been played at Turnberry...
, Lawrie scored what is believed to be only the eighth albatross (double eagle) in the competition's 150-year history.
Paul Lawrie is currently sponsored by Kalixa, the prepaid MasterCard, having signed a two year deal on 13 January 2010.
On 27 March 2011, Lawrie won the Open de Andalucía de Golf by one stroke over Johan Edfors
Johan Edfors
Johan Edfors is a Swedish professional golfer who plays primarily on the European Tour.Edfors was born in Varberg. He attended the University of Texas at San Antonio on a Division I athletic scholarship for men's golf. He played for the team under the coaching of Barry Denton for two years.Edfors...
. Lawrie finished the championship at −12 and in doing so ended a nine year period without a tour win.
European Tour wins (6)
EWLINE
|
| No. | Date | Tournament | Winning score | Margin of victory | Runner(s)-up |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 3 Mar 1996 1996 European Tour The 1996 European Tour was the 25th official season of golf tournaments known as the PGA European Tour.The Order of Merit was won by Scotland's Colin Montgomerie.-Schedule:... |
Catalan Open Catalan Open The Catalan Open was a European Tour golf tournament which was played annually from 1989 to 1996, except for 1990. It was played at several different golf courses in Catalonia, Spain. It never had the same full official name two years in a row, due to sponsorship and preferred language changes. The... |
1 stroke |  Fernando Roca |
|
| 2 | 20 Feb 1999 1999 European Tour The 1999 European Tour was the 28th official season of golf tournaments known as the PGA European Tour.The Order of Merit was won by Scotland's Colin Montgomerie.-Schedule:... |
Qatar Masters Qatar Masters The Commercialbank Qatar Masters is a golf tournament held at the Doha Golf Club in Doha, Qatar. The tournament was established in 1998, and is one of four European Tour golf tournaments which are staged in the countries of the Persian Gulf, the others being the Abu Dhabi Golf Championship, the... |
7 strokes |  Søren KjeldsenSøren Kjeldsen Søren Kjeldsen is a Danish golfer. He turned professional in 1995.Kjeldsen's success on the second tier Challenge Tour in 1997, which included victory in the Volvo Finnish Open, earned him membership of the main European Tour for 1998. He has performed steadily at this level and won his first... ,  Phillip PricePhillip Price John Phillip Price is a Welsh professional golfer who plays on the European Tour.-Professional golfer:Price turned professional in 1989 and qualified for membership of the European Tour for the 1991 season via the 1990 Qualifying School. His best year on the tour came in 2000, when he finished... |
|
| 3 | 18 Jul 1999 | The Open Championship The Open Championship The Open Championship, or simply The Open , is the oldest of the four major championships in professional golf. It is the only "major" held outside the USA and is administered by The R&A, which is the governing body of golf outside the USA and Mexico... |
Playoff |  Justin LeonardJustin Leonard Justin Charles Garrett Leonard is an American professional golfer.Leonard was born and raised in Dallas, Texas. He attended Lake Highlands High School and graduated in 1990. He attended the University of Texas at Austin and was the individual NCAA champion in 1994. He was a two-time All-American... ,  Jean van de Velde |
|
| 4 | 21 Oct 2001 2001 European Tour The 2001 European Tour was the 30th official season of golf tournaments known as the PGA European Tour.The Order of Merit was won by South Africa's Retief Goosen.-Schedule:... |
Dunhill Links Championship Dunhill Links Championship The Alfred Dunhill Links Championship, is one of the richest golf tournaments on the European Tour. It is played in October, on three different links courses, centred around the "home of golf", St Andrews in Fife, Scotland.... |
1 stroke |  Ernie ElsErnie Els Theodore Ernest "Ernie" Els is a South African professional golfer, who has been one of the top professional players in the world since the mid-1990s. A former World No. 1, he is known as "The Big Easy" due to his imposing physical stature along with his fluid, seemingly effortless golf swing... |
|
| 5 | 11 Aug 2002 2002 European Tour The 2002 European Tour was the 31st season of golf tournaments since the European Tour officially began in 1972. The 2002 season consisted of 45 official money events, which included the four major championships and three World Golf Championships which were also sanctioned by the PGA Tour... |
Celtic Manor Resort Wales Open | 5 strokes |  John BickertonJohn Bickerton John Edward Bickerton is an English golfer.Bickerton was born in Redditch, England. He turned professional in 1991.... |
|
| 6 | 27 Mar 2011 2011 European Tour The 2011 European Tour will be the third edition of the Race to Dubai and the 40th season of golf tournaments since the European Tour officially began in 1972.-Schedule:... |
Open de Andalucía de Golf | 1 stroke |  Johan EdforsJohan Edfors Johan Edfors is a Swedish professional golfer who plays primarily on the European Tour.Edfors was born in Varberg. He attended the University of Texas at San Antonio on a Division I athletic scholarship for men's golf. He played for the team under the coaching of Barry Denton for two years.Edfors... |
Other wins
- 1990 Scottish Assistants Championship
- 1992 UAP Under 25s Championship, Scottish Brewers Championship
- 2002 Aberdeen Asset Management Scottish Match Play Championship
Wins (1)
| Year | Championship | 54 Holes | Winning Score | Margin | Runners-up |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1999 1999 Open Championship The 1999 Open Championship was the 128th Open Championship held from 15-18 July at the Carnoustie Golf Links in Angus, Scotland. Paul Lawrie won his first major championship in a playoff over Jean van de Velde and Justin Leonard. Lawrie, down by 10 strokes at the start of the fourth round,... |
The Open Championship The Open Championship The Open Championship, or simply The Open , is the oldest of the four major championships in professional golf. It is the only "major" held outside the USA and is administered by The R&A, which is the governing body of golf outside the USA and Mexico... |
10 shot deficit | Playoff 1 | Justin Leonard Justin Leonard Justin Charles Garrett Leonard is an American professional golfer.Leonard was born and raised in Dallas, Texas. He attended Lake Highlands High School and graduated in 1990. He attended the University of Texas at Austin and was the individual NCAA champion in 1994. He was a two-time All-American... , Jean van de Velde |
1 Defeated Justin Leonard and Jean van de Velde in 4-hole playoff: Lawrie (5–4–3–3=15), Leonard (5–4–4–5=18), Van de Velde (6–4–3–5=18)
Results timeline
| Tournament | 1992 | 1993 | 1994 | 1995 | 1996 | 1997 | 1998 | 1999 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Masters | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP |
| U.S. Open U.S. Open (golf) The United States Open Championship, commonly known as the U.S. Open, is the annual open golf tournament of the United States. It is the second of the four major championships in golf, and is on the official schedule of both the PGA Tour and the European Tour... |
DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP |
| The Open Championship The Open Championship The Open Championship, or simply The Open , is the oldest of the four major championships in professional golf. It is the only "major" held outside the USA and is administered by The R&A, which is the governing body of golf outside the USA and Mexico... |
T22 | T6 | T24 | T58 | CUT | DNP | CUT | 1 |
| PGA Championship PGA Championship The PGA Championship is an annual golf tournament conducted by the PGA of America as part of the PGA Tour. It is one of the four major championships in men's professional golf, and is the golf season's final major, usually played in mid-August, customarily four weeks after The Open Championship... |
DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | T34 |
| Tournament | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Masters | CUT | CUT | CUT | T15 | T37 | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP |
| U.S. Open U.S. Open (golf) The United States Open Championship, commonly known as the U.S. Open, is the annual open golf tournament of the United States. It is the second of the four major championships in golf, and is on the official schedule of both the PGA Tour and the European Tour... |
DNP | CUT | T30 | CUT | CUT | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP |
| The Open Championship The Open Championship The Open Championship, or simply The Open , is the oldest of the four major championships in professional golf. It is the only "major" held outside the USA and is administered by The R&A, which is the governing body of golf outside the USA and Mexico... |
CUT | T42 | T59 | CUT | CUT | T52 | CUT | CUT | CUT | T47 |
| PGA Championship PGA Championship The PGA Championship is an annual golf tournament conducted by the PGA of America as part of the PGA Tour. It is one of the four major championships in men's professional golf, and is the golf season's final major, usually played in mid-August, customarily four weeks after The Open Championship... |
T72 | CUT | CUT | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP |
| Tournament | 2010 | 2011 |
|---|---|---|
| The Masters | DNP | DNP |
| U.S. Open U.S. Open (golf) The United States Open Championship, commonly known as the U.S. Open, is the annual open golf tournament of the United States. It is the second of the four major championships in golf, and is on the official schedule of both the PGA Tour and the European Tour... |
DNP | DNP |
| The Open Championship The Open Championship The Open Championship, or simply The Open , is the oldest of the four major championships in professional golf. It is the only "major" held outside the USA and is administered by The R&A, which is the governing body of golf outside the USA and Mexico... |
CUT | T66 |
| PGA Championship PGA Championship The PGA Championship is an annual golf tournament conducted by the PGA of America as part of the PGA Tour. It is one of the four major championships in men's professional golf, and is the golf season's final major, usually played in mid-August, customarily four weeks after The Open Championship... |
DNP | DNP |
DNP = Did not play
CUT = missed the half-way cut
"T" indicates a tie for a place
Green background for wins. Yellow background for top-10
Results in World Golf Championship events
| Tournament | 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Accenture Match Play Championship WGC-Accenture Match Play Championship The WGC-Accenture Match Play Championship is one of the annual World Golf Championships. It is a knockout event and is staged in January or February each year... |
DNP | QF | R32 | R64 | R64 | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP |
| Cadillac Championship | T37 | DNP | NT1 | T54 | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP |
| Bridgestone Invitational WGC-Bridgestone Invitational The WGC-Bridgestone Invitational is one of the annual World Golf Championships for male professional golfers. It is sanctioned and organized by the International Federation of PGA Tours and the prize money is official money on both the PGA Tour and the PGA European Tour... |
T21 | DNP | DNP | T65 | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP |
| Tournament | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Accenture Match Play Championship WGC-Accenture Match Play Championship The WGC-Accenture Match Play Championship is one of the annual World Golf Championships. It is a knockout event and is staged in January or February each year... |
DNP | DNP | DNP |
| Cadillac Championship | DNP | DNP | DNP |
| Bridgestone Invitational WGC-Bridgestone Invitational The WGC-Bridgestone Invitational is one of the annual World Golf Championships for male professional golfers. It is sanctioned and organized by the International Federation of PGA Tours and the prize money is official money on both the PGA Tour and the PGA European Tour... |
DNP | DNP | DNP |
| HSBC Champions | DNP | DNP | T49 |
1Cancelled due to 9/11
September 11, 2001 attacks
The September 11 attacks The September 11 attacks The September 11 attacks (also referred to as September 11, September 11th or 9/119/11 is pronounced "nine eleven". The slash is not part of the pronunciation...
DNP = Did not play
QF, R16, R32, R64 = Round in which player lost in match play
"T" = Tied
Yellow background for top-10.
Note that the HSBC Champions did not become a WGC event until 2009.
Team appearances
- Ryder CupRyder CupThe Ryder Cup is a biennial golf competition between teams from Europe and the United States. The competition is jointly administered by the PGA of America and the PGA European Tour, and is contested every two years, the venue alternating between courses in the United States and Europe...
: 1999 - Seve TrophySeve TrophyThe Seve Trophy is a biennial golf tournament between teams of professional male golfers representing Great Britain & Ireland and Continental Europe. It is named after five times major winner Seve Ballesteros, the most successful golfer ever from Continental Europe who was one of the key...
: 2000, 2002, 2003 - WGC-World CupWGC-World CupThe World Cup is a men's golf tournament contested by teams of two representing their country. Only one team is allowed from each country. The players are selected on the basis of the Official World Golf Ranking, although not all of the first choice players choose to compete...
: 1996, 2000, 2002, 2003 - Alfred Dunhill CupAlfred Dunhill CupThe Alfred Dunhill Cup was a team golf tournament which ran from 1985 to 2000. It was for three man teams of professional golfers, one team representing each country, and was promoted as the "World Team Championship". It was a "special approved event" on the European Tour, which means that it was...
: 1999 - Royal TrophyRoyal TrophyThe Royal Trophy is a men's professional team golf tournament which was played for the first time in January 2006 at the Amata Spring Country Club in Chonburi, Thailand. The competing teams represent Europe and Asia. Eight man teams play a series of 16 matches involving foursomes, four-ball and...
(representing Europe): 20092009 Royal TrophyThe 2009 Royal Trophy was the third edition of The Royal Trophy, a team golf event contested between teams representing Asia and Europe. It was held from 9–11 January at the Amata Spring Country Club in Thailand...