Paul Lawrie
Height: 5 ft. 11 in
Weight: 198 lbs
Birthday: 01/01/1969
College: –
Turned Pro: 1986
Birthplace: Aberdeen, Scotland
Country: Scotland
Sponsor: Taylor Made
Lawrie did not have much standout success as an amateur and turned pro in 1986. In his early career he was the definition of a journeyman pro, he did not make it to the European Tour until the 1992 season. It was in 1996 that he captured his first win, at the Catalan Open which was reduced to 36 holes. He also had a runner-up finish that year on his way to finishing 21st on the money list.
Lawrie would have the best season if his career in 1999. He won the Qatar Masters in February by an impressive seven shots over Soren Kjeldsen and Phillip Price. Then in July he captured the British Open Championship in fascinating circumstances. Frenchman Jean Van de Velde had a three shot lead standing on the 18th tee at Carnoustie and ended up capitulating. There was a three man play-off between Van de Velde, Lawrie and Justin Leonard. Lawrie had finished his round earlier in the day and this was the first time in the entire week that he had held the lead in any shape or form. He broke the record for the biggest final round comeback in Tour history having been ten shots behind the leaders before the final round. He would win the four hole play-off to win the Championship. He would end the season a career best 9th on the money list and made his debut appearance in the Ryder Cup.
Over the next couple of years Lawrie won the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship and the Wales Open. His form dipped considerably for a number of years. He was the last European to have won a Major Championship until Padraig Harrington won in 2007, a stretch of eight years. In 2011 Lawrie ended a nine year winless streak at the Open de Andalucía de Golf, winning by a shot. The following year he would win twice, at the Qatar Masters and the Johnnie Walker Championship at Gleneagles, both by four strokes. He ended a thirteen year gap by qualifying for the victorious 2012 Ryder Cup team.
