His billing becomes “Pa” Lawrie whenever the Irish professional who shares his surname contests the same events but as the paternal influence within Scottish golf of the host of this week’s new European Tour event grows he is hoping the tournament helps change his image at home.

“It’s pretty cool. When you see the tents from the main road it’s pretty exciting knowing you’re driving into an event that you’ve had a huge part in and your name’s on it. I’m not very often cool with my kids but maybe this week I might be just a smidgeon cooler than I was,” he joked after, along with co-host Mike Logie, conducting the draw for the first round of the Saltire Energy Paul Lawrie Matchplay Championship at Murcar yesterday.

While many leading players have played major roles in staging European Tour events officials reckon that only world number one Rory McIlroy, shares with Lawrie the distinction of having had his name used in the title.

Doing so is not really the style of a man who has quietly building a support structure for golf in his area that could put many organisations specifically tasked with sports development to shame, but it was Logie who identified the added value.

“The initial idea was that it would be the Saltire Energy Matchplay, but Mike insisted that we’re doing it together so both our names need to be on it,” Lawrie explained.

The choice of format might also seem curious since the 46-year-old was not even a low enough handicapper to get into the field for the Scottish Boys Championship when he turned professional more than 30 years ago, so by-passed the amateur international structure where matchplay is much more commonplace.

However his career highlights include two Ryder Cup and four Seve Trophy appearances, while his belief that the cut and thrust of knockout play would appeal to his fellow professionals has been justified.

“A lot of the feedback we’ve had from the guys is that they it like because there was a lot of matchplay when you’re an amateur and none when you’re a pro unless you’re in the World Matchplay or high enough ranked to get in the big one (the WGC Matchplay),” Lawrie observed.

He and Logie were keen to keep prices down to maximise attendance (£15 on competition days) which he hopes can boost his own chances as well as those of fellow Aberdonian Richie Ramsay.

“The two of us have probably played the course more than anyone else,” he observed.

“A few played the Challenge Tour when it was here, but these guys are great players, they’re going to get used to the course pretty quickly, so I don’t think course advantage plays a big part.

“However home support will hopefully be a big advantage and Richie’s the course record holder here, he shot 62 in the Challenge Tour event so he’ll be looking forward to it, especially having won earlier this year.”

Both are in the top half of the draw which is headed by number one seed James Morrison, while Lawrie, who had to use one of his two invitations to get himself into the 64-man event - a quota he says he may look to increase in future years given the potential to attract players with known pulling power - is in the same quarter as the other, John Daly, golf’s “Wild Thing”.

The two former Open champions will hope experience helps them overcome much younger rivals and old Pa Lawrie has good memories of teeing up alongside his opponent Romain Wattel, the 24-year-old Frenchman.

“I played with him in the final round of the Johnnie Walker at Gleneagles when I won,” Lawrie explained.

“He’s a nice young guy, a good player. He changed equipment last year and struggled a wee bit because of that which is understandable, but had a decent end of the year, so he’ll be tough to play on Thursday and anyone you play this week will be pretty hard.”

In the bottom half Marc Warren, the top ranked Scot and tournament second seed, could meanwhile face Nicolas Colsaerts, Lawrie’s 2012 “Miracle of Medinah” Ryder Cup team-mate, as early as the third round.