Paul Lawrie takes two stroke lead at the Castello Masters
The 41-year-old Scot and former British Open champion Paul Lawrie got off to a hot start at the Castello Masters Thursday 21 October firing a first round seven under par 64. The 1999 Open champion went
on a birdie run making seven birdies in nine holes midway through the round.
Lawrie sits atop the leaderboard, two shots ahead of Jean-Baptiste Gonnet and three ahead of Frenchman Gregory Bourdy and Denmark’s Jeppe Huldahl.
Most eyes are on Sergio Garcia, who has not played competitively since the PGA Championship in August. Garcia had an eventful but mediocre round carding four birdies, two bogeys and one double for an even
par 71.
Fellow countryman Jose Maria Olazabal shot a two over 73. Olazabal, stricken with rheumatoid arthritis, has only played one event this season on the European tour where he missed the cut and like Garcia
is hoping to re-establish himself among the best in the world.
The leader
Lawrie, who has a total of five European tour wins, has fallen to 225th in the world golf rankings after an eight year winless drought on the tour. Lawrie has only two top tens this year in 21 starts on
the tour and his play has been characterized by strong first rounds but an inability to maintain consistent play throughout the week.
“I have started playing well again, finishing 22nd and 27th in my last two tournaments and that could easily have been better if I had holed a few putts,” said Lawrie.
Lawrie also spoke of his bogeyless round.
“I created a lot of chances and converted a lot of them which makes a real difference.” He attributed his birdie conversion to the pristine conditions of the greens saying, “the greens were great, they
were really fast and smooth and when they are like that I tend to putt well.”
Lawrie, who ranks 79th in putting, cannot attribute his performance solely to his success with the flat stick. Lawrie left himself in awkward positions late in the round having missed both the 17th and
18th greens but was able to get up and down for par, protecting his two-shot lead.
Lawrie who is presently ranked 68th in the Race to Dubai must have a goof performance here at the Castello Masters in Valencia. A win here would easily guarantee Lawrie a place in the final European tour
event – the Dubai World Championship – which only accepts the top 60 on the Race to Dubai ranking.
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