Paul Lawrie hits first shot in 150th Open then almost finishes with hole-in-one

The focus may have been on Paul Lawrie’s first shot of the day as he was handed the honour of getting the 150th Open underway but it was his penultimate one that almost created an even bigger story.

The 1999 winner, after all, wasn’t far away from finishing the first circuit with a spectacular hole-in-one as his tee shot at the par-4 18th ended up just five feet from the hole.

To the delight of the fans in the giant grandstand behind the green, the eagle opportunity wasn’t squandered, with Lawrie signing for a two-over-par 74.

He felt that tally had been “harsh” on the basis of how he’d actually played, but, for lots of reasons, it was a morning he’ll cherish forever.

1999 winner Paul Lawrie hits the opening shot in the 150th Open at St Andrews. Picture: Ross Kinnaird/Getty Images.

“It's just a nice thing to be asked to do,” he said of being asked to hit the opening blow, having done likewise here in 2010, in the milestone tournament.

“It's nice that it's here, and it's a nice big wide fairway. I fancy my chances down there with a 3-iron even for me.“I'm always nervous on the first tee. It's always something I've always been. But I didn't feel bad this morning. And I put a nice swing on it and off it popped down the fairway. No bother.”

In what was a first for the event and maybe even in any of the majors, Lawrie used a yellow ball. “I'm 53, not 23, so my eyesight's not the best,” he said of that. “I just see it better when it's flying. Also when I'm in the rough as much as I am, it stands out like unbelievable. Even the marshals can see it. I never thought I'd play with a yellow ball, but I actually quite like it.”

He certainly enjoyed seeing it so close to the hole at the last. “For me it's flat out driver, and it needs a bounce to get up there, which it did,” he said of that closing tee shot. ”I hit a lovely shot. It was about five feet and knocked it in.”

On a course he’s played umpteen times over the years, including a Dunhill Links title triumph, the 53-year-old said he’d come across some new pin positions in this particular round.

“There were six or seven that I thought were pretty meaty and I think they have to do that, but they were fair,” he said. “You could get to them all.”

On the R&A having to take such measures, with lots of talk about a 59 being on the cards this week, he added: “I don't think it's their fault, but it tells you that maybe the length that things are going is just starting to get a wee bit out of hand.

“I don't know if they've got any ideas to change that or not. It is what it is. It's still a special event. It's always going to be that.”

On the eve of the event, Lawrie was made an honorary member of The Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews, meaning he can now pop into the iconic clubhouse whenever he wants.

“I can pop in for a wee drinky poo later on,” he said with a hearty chuckle. “It will be quite nice.”