Lawrie confident about desert open

ABERDEEN’S Paul Lawrie missed the cut in last week’s Joburg Open, but the former Open champion today admitted just being in the starting line-up had given him an edge for this week’s Abu Dhabi Golf Championship.

Lawrie said: “It was important to get a tournament under my belt before playing the next three weeks.

“I think that helped me here although I played all right in South Africa despite not making the cut.”

Lawrie, who has lost almost half-a-stone after working out in the gym over the last two weeks, opened with a blemish-free six-under 66 and was one of the later starters today.