The historic links, to the east of Dundee, is where Lawrie became the last Scotsman to win The Open Championship, in 1999, and where he will return next month to play in the 15thAlfred Dunhill Links Championship.
Lawrie, who won the first Alfred Dunhill Links in 2001, said: “I love it. I play there in the Dunhill and also a couple of times a year in social games and it’s a great feeling when you go there. I won The Open there so it will always be special.”
Lawrie’s links with Carnoustie, which joins the Old Course St Andrews and Kingsbarns as the Alfred Dunhill Links venues from October 1-4, go back a long way.
“It’s always been a place that I’ve enjoyed playing, even before I won the Open there. I won the Daily Express National Pro-Am in 1991 in my Tartan Tour days,” he said. “I get a decent crowd - people obviously know that I won the Open there and Scottish golf fans are very knowledgeable and they turn out in their numbers. All three courses are in excellent condition, but Carnoustie stands out as being the best. It’s a great course.”
Lawrie has played in every edition of the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship and would love to add a second title to his collection.
“My game is in good shape,” he said. “It has been coming round for quite a while. My putting has improved, I’m rolling the ball much better, so why not this year’s Dunhill Links?
“It’s a different kind of tournament and you have to be patient. There’s a lot going on, there are three courses, all different, so the speed of the greens will be different, but you just have to understand that before the week starts. You need to have a good attitude and just let things happen.
"On the whole, I think all the players love the week, which is why the field is always very good.”
Paul Lawrie
Recalling his 2001 success, Lawrie said: “I’d played all right in the previous 18 months but just hadn’t been able to win an event since the Open. It was also the first time anyone had used the two-ball Odyssey putter. I got it on the putting green from the Odyssey rep, I’d been struggling a wee bit with my putting, and straight away I could line it up a little better.
“He didn’t want to give it to me because it was the only one he had, but I ran off with it and won the tournament. It was a great week. I was ten under on the Old Course after 12 holes when play was abandoned for bad light in the third round, then came back to play the remaining holes in one over to shoot nine under.”
Playing all 15 years is indicative of how much Lawrie enjoys the Championship, not just as a prestigious European Tour event but as one of Scotland’s premier sporting highlights of the year.
“The event is played in Scotland and it’s played on three of our best golf courses,” he added. “It’s way up the list with all the tournaments that we play. I’ve always loved it. I really enjoy the week and always look forward to it.”
