Scot Lawrie finds form at the right moment

GOLF EUROPEAN TOUR:SCOTLAND'S PAUL Lawrie, whose 10-year European Tour exemption for winning the 1999 British Open ends this season, leads the Johnnie Walker Championship at Gleneagles after the opening day.

Lawrie, 97th on the money list and needing to be in the top 115 in November to save his card, scored a five-under-par 67 as he began his latest bid for a first victory since the 2002 Wales Open.

The 40-year-old, still Britain’s last winner of a major title, goes into the second round one ahead of a group which includes his fellow Scot Steven O’Hara and defending champion Gregory Havret.

It was a bad day, though, for both Colin Montgomerie and Thomas Bjorn.

Ryder Cup captain Montgomerie lost two balls as he slumped to a 76 – he could now miss a fourth successive cut for the first time in his European Tour career – while Bjorn crashed to an 82.

This is the Dane’s first event since the start of last month. He has been suffering from dizziness and extreme fatigue and even underwent a brain scan during his lay-off.

“I’m just feeling out of sorts, but that was a bit worse than I thought it would be,” Bjorn said before going off for a drug test.

Lawrie did not drop a stroke all day and the highlight was a 40-foot putt for an eagle on the long ninth.

At the British Open last month he sought help from Pádraig Harrington’s coach Bob Torrance and since then has made the journey from Aberdeen to Largs – three hours each way – five or six times.

“And I hate driving,” Lawrie said. “I looked into hiring a helicopter, but it was €2,300 for the trip and I thought that was too much.

“I get up at 4.30am to avoid the Glasgow traffic and be there for 7.30am and then we have four and a half hours hitting balls before I go home.

“The first time I saw him, Bob said he didn’t see it as a major overhaul, but David Leadbetter once said that swing changes take 10,000 balls or 10,000 hours – I can’t remember which.

“I didn’t do what we worked on the first time I played. He didn’t give me a talking-to, but said we are a team and we have to work this out together.

“I’m hitting more balls and swinging in my room to get the feeling and it feels fantastic.

“It’s been too long since I won. I’ve always wanted to work with him, but it’s never been been the right time. I think it’s the right time now.”

Montgomerie is refusing to blame his current slump on becoming Ryder Cup captain. “My golf was going downhill any way,” he said. The 46-year-old entered 2009 ranked 121st in the world. He is now 232nd – and 94th on the European money list.

Gareth Maybin was the only Irishman to break par with a three-under-par 69.