Longtime European Tour player Paul Lawrie is hanging it up on the European Tour. The 51-year-old Scotsman missed the cut at this week’s Scottish Open and after his 620th career start, will call it quits.
Lawrie was the winner of the 1999 Open Championship, memorable in part because he outlasted Jean van de Velde in a playoff after van de Velde’s stunning collapse on the final hole at Carnoustie. Lawrie also won seven more times and made two Ryder Cup teams.
He remains active through is Paul Lawrie Foundation, which focuses on growing the game.
“My back is not very good, I’ve got a herniated disc and I struggle to practice enough,” Lawrie told the BBC. “I’m not able to hit the amount of balls I need. I’m not particularly talented so I lose my game quite quickly.
“I’m also very busy off the course and I enjoy that more than the golf these days.”
After 620 events, eight wins, one Major victory and two Ryder Cups, @PaulLawriegolf is calling time on his European Tour career.
He writes this week's Player Blog ✍️@UKEnterprise
— The European Tour (@EuropeanTour) October 1, 2020
Lawrie said he did intend to occasionally tee it up in on the European Tour’s senior circuit. As a past Open champion, he also will be eligible to play that event until he turns 60 and his exemption runs out.
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