Paul Lawrie still

believes he can

win it again

http://www.theherald.co.uk/sport

DOUGLAS LOWE, Golf Correspondent
Paul Lawrie used to be referred to as the last European to have won a major championship, but Dubliner Padraig Harrington, who is going for his third Open in a row, changed all that. Now the Scot is frequently called the last Briton to have won a major, and that is a run stretching back all of a decade.
The 40-year-old Aberdonian, who stepped into the breach at Carnoustie in 1999 when Jean Van de Velde imploded, still raises his eyebrows at mention of that state of affairs. "We have a lot of good players in Britain, and in Europe. Padraig's won the last two years but the fact that no Briton has won is a little surprising," he said.
"I noticed Harrington won last week the Irish PGA at the European Club. Obviously it wasn't the strongest of fields but the fact he has won a tournament will do him a lot of good. He'll be there or thereabouts this week, there is no doubt in my mind about that," said Lawrie, who doesn't rule out an end to that British drought.
"Paul Casey is playing really well and a major is overdue. I also picked Lee Westwood a couple of years ago and I can't believe he hasn't won one by now. He's such a good player. He's done a lot of work on his fitness, he looks better and he's hitting it so far. The stats show he's the longest and straightest and that's a nice combination."
Lawrie does not always receive the credit he deserves for his Open win from 10 shots adrift going into the final round. His closing 67 was the best of the day and he birdied the 17th and 18th, two of the most difficult holes in major championship golf, in the play-off. He also had a good Open background, coming close in the 1993 Open at Royal St George's "I don't see why not," he replied when asked if he could win again. "I'm playing well enough and my chipping and putting are good enough in spells. At Turnberry it's not about how long and far you hit it but about getting it in the hole. There's no point being anything other than positive. I enjoy links golf and I'm going there to win."
Lawrie, who opens his campaign at 2.31 on Thursday in an attractive grouping with fellow major winner Davis Love and Australian Stuart Appleby, has learned to live with the label of being a poor-weather specialist which dates back to the bad weather of Carnoustie a decade ago "I don't mind playing when the weather's horrible. You don't have much choice," he conceded.

"I think there are a lot of guys who don't like it when it's a howling gale and pouring with rain. I've always said my attitude's better in bad weather. I tend to focus better, but I would rather have beautiful sunshine," he said.
Lawrie was planning to walk round yesterday to familiarise himself with the course and then play it today and tomorrow. With the links tradition at the very heart and soul of Scottish golf, there is a theory that the Open not having been played at Turnberry for 15 years is playing into Scottish hands. Lawrie, however, does not subscribe to that.
"I don't think it makes any difference," he said. "You are talking about more than 150 world-class players in the field and I don't think that because it hasn't been there for a while it doesn't make any difference. Whether it's pouring rain and a gale or beautiful sunshine, these boys can play."

+Reproduced by permission of "The Herald" Sports Editor and Douglas Lowe.