Torrance to play on familiar territory

lawrie submits his entry for turnberry

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SAM Torrance will look to use local knowledge to his advantage when this season’s Scottish Senior Open heads to the course he designed at Fairmont St Andrews.

The former European Ryder Cup captain, who won the Scottish over-50s title in 2006 and was runner-up in last year’s event at Dalmahoy, has redesigned his own Torrance course at the Fife resort for the 54-hole event which will take place from August 21 to 23.

Mitchell Slorach is still clinging to hopes of progressing past stage one of the Asian Tour’s qualifying school in Thailand.

The Singapore-based Scot fired a third round level-par 72 at the Lam Lu Ka course for a one-over 217 and sits three shots outside the current qualifying zone with 18 holes to play.

England’s James Hepworth leads the way on 203 after a 68 while Slorach’s countryman, Ross Dixon, of Kilmarnock, is well out of the qualifying race on 223 after a 74.

At the Rayong Green Valley course, Haddington’s Mark Lamb saw his hopes dashed with a two-over 74 for a 223 which left the former Scottish boys’ stroke-play champion seven shots outside the qualifying spots.

Paul Lawrie is the first Claret Jug winner to submit his entry for this July’s Open championship at Turnberry. The 1999 champion, who is playing for Europe in this weekend’s Royal Trophy, joins an early list of entrants which also includes Darren Clarke and former European number one Lee Westwood.