Lawrie passes on Trump's launch to give Castle Stuart his best shot

Senior Sports Writer

Thursday 12 July 2012

Paul Lawrie is among those who believe Donald Trump's new golf course is a serious contender to host future Scottish Opens, but missed its opening this week because his focus is fully upon this year's tournament.

Lawrie works on his game at Castle Stuart yesterday. Picture: James Galloway

Custom byline text:

Kevin Ferrie

The former Open champion had been due to be among the celebrity guests at the Aberdeenshire venue on Tuesday but, as he finalised his preparations for this week's bid at Castle Stuart, explained why he had decided not to go.

"We had a big pro-am on Monday at Skibo for my foundation and didn't get finished with the dinner and question and answer session until about 1.30am. We had a helicopter booked for 8am [to fly him to Trump's course]," he said."However I got an email from Stewart Spence, who is a long-term family friend, and he said the pilot would need to speak to me before that because the forecast was pretty bad. So I called him at seven from Skibo and he wasn't keen to go at all. I wasn't going to try to twist his arm, I can assure you."I probably could have driven and got there in time but then I thought, 'the Scottish Open is a big week and I don't think I want to go up and down the A96 a couple of times for seven hours in the car and then expect to be fresh on Thursday morning. So I emailed them and explained the helicopter wouldn't go and I couldn't be there in time and I was sorry, but all the best."I told them, 'you don't need me there, this place is going to be magnificent. It's going to do really well and people will love playing it. It will very quickly be one of the best courses in the world, I'm sure'." All of which was relayed in generous good humour and Lawrie aims to keep things relaxed by having his son, Craig, a fine player in his own right, caddying for him this week. However, the key message was surely that he remains fully focused on the immediate tasks at hand of competing this week and next as he continues his bid to make the Ryder Cup team."I'm going to try to play as well as I can this week and try to make as much as I can and then move on to the Open and then after the Open we'll move on to the next event," Lawrie said."We're in a pretty good position for the Ryder Cup but there's still a wee bit to go. I think Peter Hanson showed that at the PGA at Wentworth where he was in second place on the Ryder Cup list and went to fifth by missing the cut."It would now be a major shock if the veteran failed to make that team, but the same cannot be said for his countryman Martin Laird who, this time last year, was so far clear as the top Scot in the global rankings that he effectively had the say on who would accompany him to the two-man World Cup.At that stage, the American-based Glaswegian looked a strong contender to represent Europe but his erratic form this year means his chances now depend on making a massive move over the coming month or so.Laird said: "In the next four weeks I have two majors, the World Golf Championship event and the Scottish Open which I treat as a fifth major, so I've got a great stretch to do something. The events coming up are all big ones and I feel if I play well over this stretch, hopefully win one or at least be in contention in a couple, then we'll see what happens."It's not like the start of the year . . . I know I have to play well now, but it's not going to change anything for me. I'm trying to play well every week all year. It's not like all of a sudden I need to start playing well."I try my hardest every week and I'm going to keep doing that the next four weeks. Hopefully I will play well and get the putter nice and hot these next few weeks and I can be in contention."Laird accepts he has under-performed on links courses so far but reckons the abysmal weather may have boosted his chances both at Castle Stuart and at Lytham.He said: "If I come over here and know it's going to be really windy and play like a links course, like you kind of wish it would because that's the way it's supposed to play, it would definitely take a little more of a change in my game to get used to, especially around the greens, which is where it really counts."So I think it should help me a little bit and maybe also a few more guys who play in America and are used to conditions that are a little softer than links golf."

Contextual targeting label:

Arts and Entertainment

Commenting & Moderation

We moderate all comments on HeraldScotland on either a pre-moderated or post-moderated basis. If you're a relatively new user then your comments will be reviewed before publication and if we know you well then your comments will be subject to moderation only if other users or the moderators believe you've broken the rules, which are available here.

Moderation is undertaken full-time 9am-6pm on weekdays, and on a part-time basis outwith those hours. Please be patient if your posts are not approved instantly.

Lawrie passes on Trump's launch to give Castle Stuart his best shot

Commenting & Moderation

MOST READ

SPONSORED LINKS

MOST COMMENTED