PAUL LAWRIE WINS BY FOUR SHOTS AT GLENEAGLES

 

FROM THE EUROPEAN TOUR WEBSITE
Paul Lawrie gave Europe's Ryder Cup Team yet another boost by winning on home soil for the third time in his career - and making it look easy in the Johnnie Walker Championship at Gleneagles.
The United States were looking favourites for the match until Rory McIlroy had his runaway eight-shot win at the US PGA Championship a fortnight ago.
Sergio Garcia then won in the States for the first time in four years last Monday and now Lawrie has marched impressively to a four-stroke success.
One ahead overnight, the 43-year-old Aberdonian shot a closing 68 to beat Australian Brett Rumford by four with a 16 under par total of 272.
CONFIDENCE SKY-HIGH
It could take him to his highest ever position on the Official World Golf Ranking when it is updated on Monday - and it certainly sends his confidence sky-high as he heads towards his first appearance in The Ryder Cup since 1999.
That was the year he won The Open Championship at Carnoustie and two years later he was the Dunhill Links champion at St Andrews.
"I feel calmer in Scotland for some reason - it's weird - and I play some of my best golf too," Lawrie said.
He admitted the pressure of trying to secure his return to the European Team had affected him in recent months, but he came into the tournament knowing his place was safe.
"I felt better - cooler - and things didn't bother me."
His lead went from one to two when playing partner Romain Wattel bogeyed the first and he never allowed anyone to get closer than that all day.
“It was probably one of the best ball striking weeks in my career,” added Lawrie, who only missed two greens all day. “There's no question I hit the ball extremely well this week. 
FANTASTIC WEEK
“The course is obviously very good and the course played quite long, and I've hit the ball a bit longer this week. I've been working on rhythm and when you hit it a bit longer, it helps a bit. It's been a fantastic week.”
Rumford started the week 109th on The Race to Dubai but a cheque for €197,408 ends any worries about retaining his playing card for next season.
Sweden’s Fredrik Andersson Hed and Dutchman Maarten Lafeber also enhanced their chances of returning to The European Tour next year by sharing third with Wattel – the 21 year old Frenchman recording the best result of his fledgling career by birdieing the last from eight feet.
“Hopefully I can build some confidence from this one and keep playing good golf for the rest of the year,” said Andersson Hed, who started the week 115th on The Race to Dubai.

PAUL LAWRIE   Wins his eighth European Tour International Schedule victory in his 509th European Tour event.   Moves to €1,637,132 (7th position) in The Race to Dubai – the highest single-season earnings of his career, beating his €1,428,831 total of 2001.   On Monday, could move to inside the top 30 of the Official World Golf Ranking, from 34th.   His second victory of the 2012 season following the Commercialbank Qatar Masters presented by Dolphin Energy.   Would record multiple European Tour victories in the same season for only the second time and first since 1999.   Becomes the fourth multiple winner on The European Tour in 2012, following Branden Grace (Joburg Open, Volvo Golf Champions and Volvo China Open), Louis Ooosthuizen (Africa Open and Maybank Malaysian Open) and Bernd Wiesberger (Ballantine’s Championship and Lyoness Open powered by Greenfinity).   At aged 43 years and 238 days becomes the oldest winner of the Johnnie Walker Championship beating the previous record of Thomas Björn in 2011, who was 40 years and 191 days.   At aged 43 years and 238 days, becomes the oldest player to record multiple victories in the same season, since Miguel Angel Jiménez, who was 46 years and 180 days in 2010.   Becomes only the second Scot to win the Johnnie Walker Championship at Gleneagles, following Marc Warren in 2007.   Becomes the first Scot to win a European Tour event on home soil since Warren in 2007.   Becomes the first Scot to win three official European Tour events on Scottish soil, following the 1999 Open Championship and 2001 Alfred Dunhill Links Championship. Has now won more times in Scotland than in any other country. OTHER FACTS This victory beats his previous best finish in the Johnnie Walker Championship at Gleneagles of third in 2009 Victory comes in his 12th appearance in the Johnnie Walker Championship at Gleneagles. Has now won seven of his eight European Tour titles when leading or sharing the lead going into the final round. Becomes the first Scot to win twice in the same European Tour season since Colin Montgomerie in 2001. Gains his seventh top finish of the 2012 season from his 19 events. Seven is the most top ten finishes he would have gained in a single European Tour season. Aged 43 years and 238 days, he would become the oldest winner on The European Tour since Miguel Angel Jiménez, who was aged 46 years and 243 days at the 2010 Omega European Masters. Moves to €2,384,837 in the final European Ryder Cup Points Table to finish third. Records the second Scottish victory of the 2012 season, following his own victory in the Commercialbank Qatar Masters presented by Dolphin Energy. Achieves the 129th Scottish victory in European Tour history. Gains his 13th victory as a professional. Moves to over €11 million in European Tour Official Career Earnings.      LEADING FINAL TOTALS Par 288 (4x72) Prizemoney in Euros 272 Paul Lawrie (Scotland) 68 69 67 68 (296,119) 276 Brett Rumford (Australia) 69 70 71 68 (197,408) 277 Hed Andersson (Sweden) 73 69 70 65, Martin Lafeber (Netherlands) 68 73 67 69, Romain Wattel (France) 74 68 63 72 (91,798 each) 278 Stephen Gallacher (Scotland) 75 67 65 71, Francesco Molinari (Italy) 68 72 71 67, Colin Montgomerie (Scotland) 72 68 69 69, Richie Ramsay (Scotland) 69 71 70 68 (49,926 each) 279 Thomas Bjorn (Denmark) 70 71 68 70, Rafa Cabrera-Bello (Spain) 72 68 69 70, Paul Waring (England) 71 67 72 69, Peter Whiteford (Scotland) 72 69 71 67 (31,848 each) 280 Craig Lee (Scotland) 70 73 70 67 (27,184)    OTHER SCOTS' TOTALS 283 Chris Doak 76 66 69 72 (T26)(16,613) 286 Lloyd Saltman 77 67 71 71 (T40) (11,193) 287 Scott Jamieson 76 68 73 70 (T43) (9,594) 291 Gary Orr 74 67 73 77 (T54) (5,774)