Paul Lawrie goes into the final Major Championship of the year brimming with confidence following an impressive victory in The Celtic Manor Resort Wales Open.
The 1999 Open Champion, joint runner-up in this event 12 months ago after being beaten by Paul McGinley in a play-off, surged clear of the field on the final day to claim his fifth title on The European Tour International Schedule with a five stroke winning margin.
He now goes to the US PGA Championship at Hazeltine National Golf Club, Chaska, Minnesota, seeking a third consecutive tournament victory having won the Aberdeen Asset Management Scottish Professional Match Play title the previous week.
Rounds of 67-65-70-70 for a 16 under par total of 272 earned Lawrie €291,432 (£183,330) and lifted him into the top 15 in the Volvo Order of Merit in 13th place.
“It was nice to come back and win this time,” said Lawrie. “I played well last year and didn’t win as I didn’t putt well. This time I putted a lot better. The 65 in the second round was the key. When you are coming on and off the course because of the weather it is difficult to keep your focus and concentration but I did that very well. My ball striking was fantastic that day.
“I think it is coincidence that I seem to play well in bad weather and I am as capable of playing in beautiful sunshine as I am in bad weather but I do seem to win tournaments when it is unpleasant.
“I will now go to the US PGA and try my best. I’m looking forward to going there with my game in good shape.”
Lawrie moved two shots clear of the field at the halfway stage following a course record equalling 65 in the second round but after inclement weather on the Friday, the leaders were required to play 36 holes on the final day.
Lawrie immediately extended his lead, holing his second shot on the par four fourth hole from 101 yards with a lob wedge to move to 14 under par. When he birdied the next, safely two putting the par five to move to 15 under, he was five shots clear and the rest of the field were left trailing in his wake. Two more birdies followed on the eighth and tenth holes and despite three dropped shots coming home his five shot advantage remained intact.
After a brief respite the leading group returned to the course for the final round and once again Lawrie burst out of the blocks with three successive birdies from the second to move to 17 under par and six shots clear, a lead he comfortably held on to for victory.
While Lawrie marched to the title, the race for second place was far from over. England’s John Bickerton, Mikko Ilonen of Finland, South African Martin Maritz, the defending champion McGinley, and Australian Lucas Parsons were involved in a closely fought battle to finish runner-up. Bickerton eventually claimed that honour, birdieing the 17th and then saving par from the bunker on the last for a final round of 70 and 11 under par total of 277.
“I was never going to catch Paul,” said Bickerton. “He was hot today and played lovely golf but it was nice to hang on at the end for second spot. I’m delighted.”
Ilonen, the 2000 Amateur Champion, recorded his best finish on The European Tour, birdieing the last to claim outright third place on ten under par.
“That is certainly my best finish,” he said. “I really needed this and I pulled it off when I needed to. I was a couple under the last nine holes and three under the last 11. Didn’t make any putts this week so I was pleased with the rest of my game and hopefully I can go on from here and secure my European Tour card.”
Maritz shared fourth place with Parsons on nine under par, one stroke ahead of South African Trevor Immelman, McGinley and England’s Ian Poulter.
