Lawrie now in line for first senior honours

PETER LAWRIE swept to a thoroughly convincing victory in the Friends Provident Mullingar Scratch Cup yesterday. A steady drizzle replaced Sunday's winds, but the 22 year old adapted admirably to shoot a final round of 68 for an eight under par aggregate of 280, six strokes clear of runner up Richard Coughlan.

This was a highly significant breakthrough for the Newlands player, who must now be on a short list for senior international honours next month. It also removed any doubts about his competitive qualities which might have arisen from runner up position in both the Waterford Scratch Trophy and the Irish Open Strokeplay Championship earlier this season.

Indeed, Lawrie showed himself to be a highly accomplished performer in that he led the tournament from start to finish. Even more impressive was that when a four stroke overnight lead was reduced to one stroke after 54 holes, he held his nerve to establish a commanding lead once more.

"I felt really comfortable all day and was never conscious of any serious pressure," he said. "It's about time I've won and I hope this will be a stepping stone to bigger things. I certainly want to make the senior international team this season".

Comparable form in the forthcoming Irish Close Championship at Royal Co Down would make that a foregone conclusion. Consistency was the key to his success on a day when Stephen Browne of Hermitage lowered Lawrie's course record with a 67, which was later equalled by Portmarnock's Dermot Snow.

And there was further, pre lunch spectacle from Michael Turley of Elm Park who had a hole in one at the 152 yard 12th when his eight iron found the target on the way to a third round of 69.

The tournament seemed set for a tight finish when Coughlan fired a third round of 68, including an eagle three at the 14th, where he hit a six iron second shot to five feet. There was only a stroke between the pair at that stage while Andrew McCormick was three strokes further back on 216.

Earlier fire in the greens had been well and truly quenched by the time the leaders went out for the final round, and putting was to hold the key to Lawrie's success. He was certainly eased very nicely into battle when a 20 footer found the target for a birdie at the first.

He then carded a bogey and a birdie before sinking a 30 foot putt for an eagle three at the long fourth, to move seven strokes clear of Coughlan. An erratic pattern continued until he had his first par of the round at the eighth where, ominously, the gap with Coughlan had been reduced to three strokes.

But the American based players admitted afterwards: "Even then, I didn't really give myself much of a chance. Peter was hitting the ball so good that it would have taken a miracle to stop him. And his putting was the best I've seen for a long time.

As it happened, Lawrie birdied the ninth to reach the turn in 31 - four under par for the round. Four strokes clear, he stretched his lead when Coughlan bogeyed the 10th after a blocked drive. And the challenger eventually bowed out of the picture by taking a bogey six at the long 14th, where he inadvertently, caused his ball to move by removing a leaf.

Lawrie had only to mind his work from then on. And he finished in appropriate style, carding a birdie at the 17th, where he wedged to six feet, and another at the last, where a five footer found the target. One suspects that a sparkling career is under way.