Round-up: Paul Lawrie set for 20th anniversary Carnoustie celebration

Paul Lawrie, who makes his Champions Tour debut in Texas this week, is heading for both Carnoustie and Craigielaw later this year for two equally exciting events.

Paul Lawrie is set to make his debut in the Scottish Senior Open.

The first is a pro-am on 29 July to mark the 20th anniversary of his Open Championship win at Carnoustie, the proceeds being split between the Paul Lawrie Foundation and Beatson Cancer Charity.

“The idea came from Brian Donald, who is a friend of Paul and has been a long supporter of The Beatson, Brian himself losing his first wife to cancer,” said Alan Tait, who is helping with the 20-team event.

“Given Paul’s coach at that time of winning the Open was the late former European Tour player Adam Hunter, it seemed fitting that some proceeds would go towards The Beatson, where Adam was cared for before he died at the young age of 48.

“It was an easy conversation to do something and it was decided a celebratory pro-am back at Carnoustie would be a wonderful way to enjoy a fantastic golf day, with The Beatson benefiting and also Paul’s foundation.”

Lawrie’s visit to Craigielaw just over a fortnight later will be to make his debut in the Scottish Senior Open, the Aberdonian set to join a home contingent that will also include the defending champion, Gary Orr.

“It will be very special to play in my first Scottish Senior Open in August,” said Lawrie. “It’s always great to play on home soil and I’m looking forward to be playing in front of home crowds as a member of the Staysure Tour.”

Three of Lawrie’s eight European Tour victories came on Scottish soil, having also claimed the 2001 Dunhill Links Championship at St Andrews then the 2012 Johnnie Walker Championship at Gleneagles.

“I’ve got a lot of happy memories from European Tour events in Scotland and hopefully I’ll be able to create some new ones this year on the over-50s circuit,” he added.

• Aberdonian Gemma Dryburgh closed with a bogey-free four-under 67 for a one-under-par total to finish joint 30th behind Australia’s Minjee Lee in the Hugel-Air Premia LA Open, her second-best performance on the LPGA.

“Loved playing Wilshire Country Club again, one of my favourite stops on tour,” wrote Dryburgh on Twitter. “Next up is San Francisco!” she added of the LPGA’s Mediheal Championship starting on Thursday.

• Aboyne’s Carmen Griffiths was proud of her performance in claiming second spot behind Italian starlet Francesco Fiorellini in the Girls Under-16s Amateur Championship.

Griffths closed with a 70, equalling the best round of the final day, at Fulford in Yorkshire to come up just short in her bid to emulate Broomieknowe’s Hannah Darling, who won the event’s inaugural staging at the same venue last year.

“It feels amazing to finish second and it ranks as one of my top achievements,” said Griffiths. “I was hoping to get the win, but it’s nice to finish second.

“I’ve started the season well and I hope to get some picks for teams this year.”

Fulford will host the event for a third time in 2020.

• Dunbar’s Neil Fenwick won the latest event in the Big Johnsons Tour at The Roxburghe, near Kelso.

Fenwick, who is warming up for the new PGA EuroPro Tour campaign, shot three under at the Borders venue to finish two shots ahead of his nearest challenger, Neil Henderson.

• Royal Troon’s Paul Moultrie fired rounds of 69 and 73 for a level-par total and a one-shot win over Maurice Lindsay (Grange) in the Scottish Seniors Spring Meeting at Powfoot.