Paul Lawrie has warned his fellow competitors to expect a stern test at Trump International Links for this week’s Staysure PGA Seniors Championship.
The 1999 Open champion is among the big names teeing up at the Legends Tour event, which will be the biggest tournament to be staged at the Aberdeenshire venue to date.
Lawrie knows the course well and anticipates some high scoring if the weather conditions prove difficult.
He said: “I have only played three events this season but I was getting asked about the Trump course when I was at the Senior Open.
“I told them it is a pretty tough test.
“The weather can be nasty and even on a calm day if you aren’t hitting the ball on line then you will struggle to find your ball.
“It is not an automatic lost ball but the balls just dive into that thick stuff.
“You will need to keep the ball in play but the course is in superb condition.
“The greens are rolling a bit quicker than they normally would so the players are in for a treat.
“The amateurs may struggle to get round it in a good number as it isn’t the easiest.”
Jose Maria Olazabal, Michael Campbell, Fred Funk, Shaun Micheel and defending champion Adilson da Silva are all taking part in the 72-hole event which finishes on Sunday.
Lawrie said: “It is a larger field for this one.
“It is one of the bigger money events which is always going to attract a better field.
“We play a little golf at Trump and it will be interesting to see how they get on.
“I was out there the other week to play a few holes and it was blowing a gale.
“If it is anything like that weather-wise it is going to be a pretty tough test no matter which tees you play from.
“I’m looking forward to it.
“I can stay in my own bed which is a massive positive. You don’t get to do that too often when you are playing in a big tournament.
“It should be good fun.”
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Trump International Links was only opened in 2012 but Lawrie has no doubt the Dr Martin Hawtree design will be well-received by the field, which includes several major champions.
He said: “The course is definitely strong enough to host a big event.
“I don’t know the reason why other bigger events haven’t gone there yet.
“I’m not sure if there is an awful lot of room for spectators.
“The dunes are big and the slopes are pretty severe.
“The golf course is not in question.
“I have been playing there for a couple of years and there are some of the tees which I still haven’t tried.
“If they wanted to have a big tournament and stretch it out I think they have the option of extending it to over 8,000 yards.
“It is just whether they can hold spectator numbers of that level.”
Hoping to get in the mix
Lawrie, playing for the first time since a tied-20th finish at the Senior Open at Royal Porthcawl last month, would love to get in contention at this week’s event.
He added: “I haven’t played a lot of competitive golf this year.
“I have been practising and hitting balls most days but I haven’t played a lot of tournament rounds.
“In the tournament rounds I have played I have felt rusty and out of sorts a little bit.
“I was in the mix for a wee bit at the Senior Open.
“I played really well the first two days but didn’t get much out of it.
“Then I struggled at the weekend, didn’t play very well and the weather was terrible.
“Hopefully Trump will be another event under my wing.
“It would be nice to get in contention around there.
“To win a tournament in Aberdeen would be lovely but there are a lot of good players on show.
“If I am going to get in contention then I am going to have to play some decent stuff.”
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