Craig Lawrie in action during his first-round tie this morning. Image by Cal Carson Golf Agency
By COLIN FARQUHARSON
Paul Lawrie, on his way back to Aberdeen from playing all four days in the US Masters, had a word of commiseration and encouragement for his 16-year-old elder son Craig, a scratch golfer - which his father never was as an amateur - but surprisingly beaten 5 and 4 in the first round of the Paul Lawrie Foundation Scottish boys golf championship which teed off in cold, windy and sometimes wet weather at Murcar Links today.
"I spoke to Craig when I landed at Heathrow and he was obviously hugely disappointed to go out of the championship this morning but said the other boy played well and deserved to win.
"As I said to Craig on the phone, 18 hole match-play can be a funny game. He said he had no complaints as he didn't play well.
"I'll be at Murcar tomorrow (Tuesday) to walk round with Michael, our youngest son who is excited about playing in Scottish boys championship."
Michael is 13 years of age with a handicap of 5.8, which was not low enough to get him into the championship field until there were two or three pull-outs. He was over at the US Masters with Paul and mum Marian when the Lawries got the news from the Scottish Golf Union that Michael had been called up into the field of 256 off the reserve list.
"I'll be coming back to walk round with Michael," said big brother Craig after his disappointing defeat for North-east hopes by 6ft 3in Scott Finlay, junior champion at Liberton Golf Club for the past two years but whose handicap of four had suggested that scratch man Craig should have been able to handle his challenge.
Last year Craig Lawrie reached the third round and since then has slashed three or four shots off his handicap down to scratch.
Craig said he did not feel under pressure to prove he is a chip off the old block - that "old block" being an Open champion, Ryder Cup player, European Tour multi-winner and, last not not least, generous sponsor of the SGU's flagship event for Under-18 boys.
I'm not a golfing pundit nor knowledgeable analyst but I wouldn't be surprised if the reason why Craig did not play anywhere near his best form - and he has beaten his dad in bounce games at Deeside - was that he was simply trying just that little bit too hard to live up to his father's golfing image.
"I lost three of the first four holes and never really got going at all," said Craig who looked to be putting the wheels under a comeback when he won the sixth and seventh to slash his deficit to one hole.
"But I hit my second shot over the green and out of bounds at the ninth to go back to three down. I thought I was a wee bit unlucky with some dodgy lies but, overall, I was beaten by a better player on the day."
Finlay was "one or two over par" when the match ended on the 14th green after the Liberton lad won the ninth, 10th, 12th and 13th.
Craig Lawrie, by the way, is not going to follow his old man into the pro golf ranks as a PGA-trained assisant when he finishes his education.
"I'm taking a year out before I start a golf management degree course at the University of Highlands and Islands in Dornoch," said Craig. "My mum persuaded me that was the best way to go. But I do want to carry on playing golf."
With a move to establish a better, more frequent university golf circuit gathering steam, Craig should certainly get his wish.
NOT A BAD OPENER FOR NORTH AND NORTH-EAST
DESPITE LOSS OF LAWRIE AND CHRIS LAMB
Despite the loss of scratch player Craig Lawrie, it was, overall, a good opening day for North and North-east competitors at Murcar Links, writes
Colin Farquharson (
colin@scottishgolfview.com)
Hitting the high spots for the area were Nairn's Andrew Burgess, winner by 7 and 5, Benjamin Henderson (Deeside) by 6 and 5 and there were 5 and 3 wins for Andrew Carrell (Royal Aberdeen) and Jake Scott (Buckpool).
Burgess had an astonishing run against Michael Reid (Oldmeldrum), winning six consecutive holes from the sixth to the 11th inclusive.
"I was all square on the sixth tee and six up coming off the 11th which must be the best match-play run I've ever had," said 16-year-old Burgess who was one under par (birdies at the eighth and ninth) when the match finished as he went seven up by winning the 13th. The rising Nairn star is playing in his third Scottish boys championship. He played for the Scotland Under-16s last season.
Benjamin Henderson found it a bit chilly after playing for the Deeside juniors on the Costa del Sol a week or so ago but swept to the turn with a five-hole lead against Alistair Thurlow (Murrayfield) before winning by 6 and 5. Henderson now plays Ben Kinsley (St Andrews), a semi-finalist last year and winner of the Scottish Under-16s stroke-play title last season.
Royal Aberdeen's Andrew Carrell hit good form immediately and was four up after 10 on his way to a 5 and 3 win over Stuart McLaren (Bruntsfield Links).
Jake Scott (Buckpool), who has an impressive tournament CV in his own neck of the woods, showed he can travel and take his form with him. He was a 5 and 3 winner against Steven Young (Auchterarder) after going two up at the 10th and three to the good after 13.
Turriff's Daniel Wilson could claim to have the best finish of the day. He was three down with four to play against Craig Hughes (Drumpellier) and won them all to come off the 18th green with a never-say-die, one-hole win.
Hughes had been one up after 10 and three up after 13.
Declan Addison, a 15-year-old who plays off five at Peterhead, marked his debut in the Scottish boys championship by winning on the 18th green by two holes against David Slack (Kilmacolm).
Three up after birdieing the seventh, Declan lost the eighth, 10th and 11th to be pulled back to all square. Addison responded in the best possible fashion with wins at the 13th and 14th before Slack took the 15th to be one down. After halves at the 16th and 17th, Addison got up and down from short and wide of the 18th green to double his winning margin to two holes.
Thurso's Peter Sangster, first off the tee at 6.45am when the temperature on the coastal links was hovering between five and six degrees, beat Shaun McBride (Langlands) by 2 and 1.
Craig Stephen (Aboyne) beat Aodan Donnelly (Murrayfield) by 4 and 2 after establishing a two-hole lead over the first 10 holes.
On the debit side for the North-east was a 3 and 2 defeat for Chris Lamb (Newmachar) by left-handed Scotland Under-16 cap Bob MacIntyre (Glencruitten). Lamb was expected to be one of the best local hopes of having a good run this week but, like Craig Lawrie before him, he lost the first two holes and was always struggling to get to grips with his opponent after that.
Give Lamb his due, he stuck in there and by winning the 13th and 14th with pars, he reduced his deficit to only one hole.
But MacIntyre showed his class by winning the 15th with a birdie and the 17th for the match. The winner had a bag of three birdies in all.
Dominic Dougan (Colville Park) bt Russell Malcolm (Muckhart) 3 and 2.
Declan Addison (Peterhead) bt David Slack (Kilmacolm) 2 holes.
Calum Aitken (Kilmacolm) bt Euan Henderson (Kilmarnock Barassie) 1 hole.
Greg Cathie (Irvine Bogside) bt Rory Stewart (Crieff) at 19th.
Bob MacIntyre (Glencruitten) bt Christopher Lamb (Newmachar) 3 and 2.
Robbie Whelan (East Kilbride) bt Stuart Walsh (Irvine Bogside) 4 and 3.
Connor Syme (Dumfries and Co) bt Michael Ewen (Buckpool) 6 and 5.
Alasdair McDougall (Elderslie) bt Joshua Lynch (Pitreavie) 6 and 5.
Colin Edgar (Cochrane Castle) bt Sam Campbell (Cambuslang) 5 and 4.
Lewis Reid (Dougalston) bt Stuart Easton (Irvine Bogside) 3 and 2.
Daniel Wilson (Turriff) bt Craig Hughes (Drumpellier) 1 hole.
Ross White (Muckhart) bt Josh Rooney (Marriott Dalmahoy) 3 and 1.
Scott Jeen (Milngavie) bt Louis Murray (Troon Welbeck) 2 and 1.
Andrew Burgess (Nairn) bt Michael Reid (Oldmeldrum) 7 and 5.
Calum Harrison (Carluke) bt Connor Good (Musselburgh) 3 and 2.
Scott Whannel (Newton Stewart) bt Calum Hill (Muckhart) at 19th.
Jake Scott (Buckpool) bt Steven Young (Auchterarder) 5 and 3.
Robert Reynolds (Cyprus) bt Matthew Miller (Canmore) 2 and 1.
Liam Allan (Banchory) bt Robert Willemars (Blairgowrie) 2 and 1.
Craig Boyd (Lanark) bt Graham Swan (Gullane) 5 and 4.
Ryan O'Connor (Uphall) bt Ciaran Farrell (Wishaw) 4 and 3.
Craig Oram (Nairn Dunbar) bt Michael Williams (Gullane) 4 and 3.
Benjamin Kinsley (St Andrews) bt Rikky Alexander (Braehead) 4 and 3.
Benjamin Henderson (Deeside) bt Alistair Thurlow (Murrayfield) 6 and 5.
Jamie Savage (Cawder) bt Calum McKay (Grange) 5 and 3.
Andrew Thomson (Mouse Valley) bt Lewis Mackenzie (Turriff) 3 and 1.
Daniel Flannery (Peebles) bt John Douglas (Aberdour) 1 hole.
Thomas Simmonds (Gullane) bt Evan Robertson (Inchmarlo) 6 and 5.
Andrew Carrell (Royal Aberdeen) bt Stuart McLaren (Bruntsfield Links) 5 and 3.
James Walkinshaw (Wishaw) bt Lewis Campbell (Baberton) 3 and 1.
Alexander Henderson (Royal Ashdown Forest) bt Euan Waugh (Whitecraigs) 4 and 3.
James Steven (Bothwell Castle) bt Gary Foley (Ralston) 4 and 3.
Craig Stephen (Aboyne) bt Aodan Donnelly (Murrayfield) 4 and 2.
Calum Satterley (Longniddry) bt Elliot Moore (Royal Aberdeen) 6 and 5.
Daniel Eardley (Liberton) bt Stephen Wilson (Greenock Whinhill) 5 and 4.
Alexander Wilson (The Renaissance) bt Callum Connacher (Wishaw) 5 and 4.
Oliver Duffy (Craigielaw) bt Alexander Mackie (Powfoot) 1 hole.
Lawrence Allan (Alva) bt Jack Valentine (Musselburgh) 6 and 5.
Peter Maxwell (Glenbervie) bt Greig Stewart (Crieff) 3 and 2.
Craig Chalmers (Lenzie) bt Alistair Kyle (East Renfrewshire) 6 and 5.
Drew McIntosh (Ratho Park) bt Fraser Craig (Bothwell Castle) at 19th
Connar Cook (Caird Park) bt Glen Burrett (Haggs Castle) 1 hole.
Gary Brownlee (Tantallon) bt Craig Bain (Strathlene) 1 hole.
Willem Kerr (Craigielaw) bt Paul Smillie (Whitecraigs) 5 and 4.
Martin McCorkell (Gleddoch) bt Jack McCluskey (Ayr Belleisle) 2 holes.
Gavin Petrie (Forfar) bt Maxim Jackson (Kirkcudbright) 5 and 4.
Alasdair Ross (Fort William) bt Matthew McCulloch (Portpatrick) 2 and 1.
Euan Davidson (Charleton) bt Calum Stenhouse (Windyhill) 6 and 4.
Callum Gorrie (Kilmarnock Barassie) bt Sam Kiloh (Portlethen) 7 and 6.
David Cleland (Hamilton) bt Colin Currie (Kilmarnock Barassie) 4 and 3.
Gregor Cannon (Wigtown and Bladnoch) bt Patrick McKenna (Royal Aberdeen) 3 and 2.
David Wilson (Troon Welbeck) bt Alisdair McDougall (St Andrews New) at 19th.
Ray Gordon (Alford) bt Michael Brodie (Strathmore) at 19th.
Ryan Walsh (Kirkcaldy) bt Craig McKie (Newton Stewart) 8 and 6
Alistair MacVicar (Glencruitten) bt Sean Gadsby (Crieff) 1 hole.
Ewen Ferguson (Bearsden) bt Duncan McNeill (Powfoot) at 22nd
Bradley Neil (Blairgowrie) bt Kyle Turner (Cochrane Castle) 6 and 4.
Sam Fitzsimmons (Windyhill) bt Finlay McPheson (Royal Aberdeen) 5 and 4.
Greg Forrester (Lundin) bt Lewis McWilliam (Aboyne) 6 and 5.
Euan Walker (Kilmarnock Barassie) bt Grant Stewart (Pitlochry) at 20th
Scott Clarke (Haggs Castle) bt Fraser Paul (Windyhill) 2 and 1.
Adam Loch (Pumpherston) bt Fraser Davren (Williamwood) at 19th
Niall McMullen (Lochgelly) bt Euan Bowden (The Glen) 3 and 1.
John Miller (Monifieth) bt Mark McInulty (Glenbervie) 2 and 1.
Neil McArthur (Bishopbriggs) v Zack Bedford (St Andrews New) - all square after 18 (
to be resumed at 19th in morning)
Cameron Black (Cardross) bt Blair Stephen (Pitlochry) 8 and 6.
Labels: Boys
