Paul Lawrie adds ‘exciting’ event to calendar

Paul Lawrie has added another tournament to the schedule. Picture: Jane Barlow

The Scottish Par 3 Championship will be held at the Paul Lawrie Golf Centre on the outskirts of Aberdeen and have it as the title sponsor.

Taking place over 36 holes on 13-14 June – straight after the Northern Open at Cruden Bay – it will involve a field of around 40 professionals and amateurs. The prize fund will be around £15,000, with the winner earning in the region of £3,000.

Describing the new event as “exciting”, Lawrie, who will compete in it himself, said: “I played in the British Par 3 (at Nailcote Hall in Warwickshire) for the first time last year, as part of my sponsorship agreement with Farmfoods, and really enjoyed the experience.

“That event has grown to be pretty big now and it’s got a sort of mini-Tour event feel about it. We’re obviously starting much smaller here, but hopefully it’s something that can grow over time.”

The course at Lawrie’s newly-appointed “5 Star Visit Scotland Activity Centre” has holes ranging from 103 yards to 205 yards. It has hosted both Jose Maria Olazabal and Paul McGinley over the past two years for a  challenge match against the  Aberdonian.

The new event will involve a number of Paul Lawrie Foundation-supported players, invited professionals from across Scotland, as well as some of the most promising young talent in the Foundation.

Lawrie, of course, is also hosting the new Saltire Energy Match Play at Murcar Links on the European Tour this season while either his Foundation or Golf Centre are supporting stroke-play events as well, including one on the PGA EuroPro Tour at Newmachar.

Meanwhile, Tartan Tour officials are determined to make the 100th staging of the Scottish PGA Championship a special  occasion and wipe away the  frustrations caused by last  week’s weather-hit event at  Gleneagles.

Making his first appearance in it in a decade, two-times winner Lawrie was among those to  suffer, playing his second and final round in the worst of the conditions, and claimed it “doesn’t make any sense for a tournament of this size to be played in May”.

While admitting it was too early to be talking about either dates or a venue, PGA in  Scotland secretary Brian Mair said: “With the 100th staging of the Scottish PGA Championship next year, we have an  opportunity to celebrate a major milestone and going forward our aim is to build the event  up to a level that we are all proud of.”