Paul Lawrie has admitted it would be a “dream come true” to win the Aberdeen Asset Management Scottish Open next month in his home city of Aberdeen.
The 45 year old has had plenty of success on home soil, winning The Open Championship at Carnoustie in 1999, the Dunhill Links Championship in 2001 and the Johnnie Walker Championship at Gleneagles in 2012, but the Scottish Open is missing from his CV – something he would dearly love to put right.
With his sponsors Aberdeen Asset Management again the title sponsors of the £3million event, plus the fact it will be played over the stunning links of Royal Aberdeen, a few miles from his home, there has never been a better time to add his name to the trophy.
“I’ve made no secret of the fact that before I stop playing I’d love to have the Scottish Open on my CV,” said Lawrie. “Everyone wants to win their home Open. To win it in Aberdeen would be unbelievable for me. It’s an event I very much want to win.
“It’s a course I know really well. I play here four or five times a year which is obviously a lot more than a lot of the field. Richie Ramsay has the same advantage, as he’s a member here too. To win it here would be a dream come true.
“It’s going to be a huge event for us and I can’t wait. If I won it it would be right up there with the best things I’ve achieved. It would be second only to winning The Open.”
Lawrie, who was part of the victorious 2012 European Ryder Cup team, will be part of a stellar field, which boasts two-time Major winner Rory McIlroy, 2013 US Open Champion Justin Rose, legend Sir Nick Faldo, reigning European Number One Henrik Stenson and current Race to Dubai leader Thomas Björn.
There is also a brilliant band of American players in the line-up, inspired by the feats of Phil Mickelson, who last year won the Aberdeen Asset Management Scottish Open and The Open Championship the following week.
Mickelson returns to defend his title in Aberdeen, and is joined by his compatriots Rickie Fowler, Jimmy Walker, Ryan Palmer and Kevin Streelman. Inverness-born Russell Knox, who is now based in America, is also looking forward to tackling the challenges of links golf.
“It’s a world-class field, and I’m going to have to play some great golf to have a chance, but I’m looking forward to it,” Lawrie added. “It’s going to be a fabulous event at the perfect links venue.”
