Paul Lawrie’s son faces ‘burden’ of famous dad

IT MAY help to open a few doors in terms of management and sponsorship but having a famous dad can also bring added pressure. Just ask Paul Lawrie’s oldest boy, Craig a new recruit to the paid ranks this season and faced with daunting spikemarks to follow.

Craig Lawrie with his dad at the Alfred Dunhill Links Championships in 2012. Picture: Jane Barlow

“You always get a few looks when folk see the name at tournaments, but it can be a wee bit of a burden – it certainly doesn’t make it any easier,” admitted the teenager, who wasn’t the only relation of a current European Tour player competing on the third-tier Pro Golf Tour last month.

“Rafa Cabrera-Bello’s brother was also playing in Turkey the other week and I’m sure he gets the same type of stuff with people saying, ‘your brother is a European Tour player so you should be good,’ that kind of thing,” added Lawrie.

“It’s the same as my dad and me, but you just get on with it. It was like that at the Scottish Boys’ Championship for me, but I expected that. People are expecting a bit more from me because of dad. But I am just as hard on myself as everyone else because I expect to be good. But having a dad who can really help me out can make it easier for me, too.”

Lawrie missed the cut in both events in Turkey, admitting he was “a bit nervous” and played “terrible”. But, just as dad is working his socks off just now at the Paul Lawrie Golf Centre on the outskirts of Aberdeen, so, too, is his son.

“Dad said to just enjoy it as it was my first trip and it didn’t matter how I played,” he added. “I changed a few things with the swing and that, as well as the nerves, didn’t really help. But I’ve been working hard with Billy Fyfe and I feel much better now about my swing.

“But I am not expecting anything this year. My aim is to gain experience and if I can play some good stuff that will be a bit of a bonus. I’ve got two events in Morocco, two in Egypt and then back to Morocco for three more, so it’s a pretty busy schedule and I’m looking forward to it.

“I’ll just give it a go and see what happens. I’ve always wanted to be a professional golfer, to do what dad does and play on tour. This year is about playing and getting experience. The year after will be about results.”