Lee intends to build on solid performance at Loch Lomond

Published on Sunday 11 July 2010 20:41

CRAIG Lee has literally been putting bricks in place through his performances this season. Currently house-hunting, he started off looking at a one-bedroom flat, turned his attention to a two-bedroom one after picking up £18,000 in a couple of events and now, on the back of a good effort at Loch Lomond, will probably be looking at something even bigger.

"It was a big week for me and, after a good couple of opening rounds, it was always going to be tough as it was in the back of my mind that I needed to win as much as possible because I'm wanting to put a deposit down on a house in Stirling," said the 32-year-old. "It had gone from a one-bedroom flat after I did well at Wentworth (in the BMW PGA Championship] and Bovey Castle (on the PGA EuroPro Tour] but I might even be able to look at a small house now."

Lee, last year's Tartan Tour No 1, picked up a cheque for 27,150 - the biggest of his career - after a closing 74 left him on two-over for the tournament alongside fellow Scots Martin Laird and David Drysdale.

"It was a bit of a struggle in the conditions and, after arriving on the eighth tee at four-over I said to my caddie that I would have settled for that at the finish. But I got it to two-over by the finish so that was a good score," he reflected.

Lee is off to Bristol today to bid for a second success of the season on the PGA EuroPro Tour but will be back with the big guns later in the year, having earned a spot in the Johnnie Walker Championship at Gleneagles. His long-term target is to get back on the European Tour after losing his card two seasons ago.

"I've got a two-year plan mapped out," he said. "If I can finish in the top five on the EuroPro Tour this season that will get me on to the Challenge Tour next year, which I think is the best way on to the main circuit. I'll also give the Tour School a go at the end of the year."

While three successive bogeys in a row on the back nine proved frustrating in his 74, Laird is heading for St Andrews happier with his game. "I phoned my coach, Mark McCann, who was in New York and got him at 4am, on Saturday morning and he suggested a couple of thinks to work on which helped me drive the ball better after hitting it terrible Thursday and Friday," he revealed.

While the US-based Scot probably wanted to thank his coach, he reckoned it wasn't advisable to phone there and then as McCann was in South Africa last night attending the World Cup Final.

Drysdale, who matched playing partner Lee's final-round 74, described his performance as "average from start to finish", while Richie Ramsay, who had four three-putts in a closing 77 for four-over, reckoned it was a miracle his putter had lasted the week without being snapped in two.