Lawrie to host new match play tournament in Scotland
LONDON (Reuters) - Former British Open champion Paul Lawrie is to host a new match play event in his native Scotland for the next three years.
The 64-man Saltire Energy Paul Lawrie Match Play, carrying a prize fund of one million euros (0.79 million pounds), will make its debut on the calendar at Murcar Links in Aberdeen from July 30-Aug. 2.
"It's fantastic to be bringing another European Tour event to my home town of Aberdeen," the 1999 Open champion said in a news release on Friday.
"Match play is a format that we don't get to play too often out on tour so it's an exciting opportunity for an elite knockout tournament to come to Scotland."
The 45-year-old Lawrie, who has twice represented Europe in the Ryder Cup, has a good match play record.
He picked up three and a half points on his Ryder Cup debut in 1999 and also played his part in the 'Miracle of Medinah' two years ago, defeating Brandt Snedeker in the singles as Europe produced a dramatic comeback victory.
Lawrie also reached the quarter-finals of the WGC-Match Play Championship in 2000 and was third in the Volvo World Match Play two years ago.
(Writing by Tony Jimenez, editing by Ed Osmond)
