The Irish Golf Club Gazette: Challenge Tour

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4/20/2016

Profile - Peter Lawrie

Peter Lawrie, Rabat - Getty Images

Peter Lawrie claimed his maiden European Tour victory at the Open de España in 2008, defeating home favourite Ignacio Garrido in a play-off. Enjoyed a fine performance as defending champion in 2009, finishing tied third.Made history at the end of the 2003 season when he became the first Irish golfer to win the prestigious Sir Henry Cotton Rookie of the Year Award.

Educated at the University College Dublin where he undertook a golf scholarship. Graduated to The European Tour through the European Challenge Tour, finishing fourth in the Rankings at the end of 2002, helped by a superb victory in the Challenge Tour Grand Final.

The Dublin brn golfer graduated to The European Tour through the European Challenge Tour, finishing fourth in the Rankings at the end of 2002, helped by a superb victory in the Challenge Tour Grand Final. His elevation to The European Tour was testament to his determination, having spent one year on the Asian Tour and three seasons on the Challenge Tour before achieving his goal.

Peter was capped at boys, youths and national level for Ireland as an amateur. In his early days as a professional, he played in Asia and Florida, gaining a ‘Mini Tour’ victory in America’s Sunshine State.

In 2012 Lawrie teed off in his first US Open last year, played at the Olympic Club in San Francisco, having secured a spot through UK qualification.

The next year Lawrie managed a strong finish at the ISPS HANDA Perth International to earn just enough to retain his card.

In 2014 an indifferent season ended with €56,040 in prize money earning him 174th place in the Race to Dubai - and loss of automatic playing rights for 2015.

At The European Tour Final Qualifying Peter Lawrie finished in a share of 29th place at PGA Catalunya and outside the first 25 places required to regain status.

In 2015 the Dubliner, who had finished 124th in the Race to Dubai on the back of 17 invitations, missed again.

Despite that result Lawrie felt his chances of regaining his full playing rights from a lesser category were better in 2016.

“I won’t give up,” said Lawrie afterwards, and expected to get around 22 starts next season.

“I have never been a giver-upper, so I will carry on and I will play next year though apart from the Irish Open, I won’t be seeking invites. I have had my fair share and it’s time for somebody else to get them.”

“It’s like anything,” Lawrie said. “Do you enjoy a job that is not giving you something back? The big problem is the potential golden egg. But sometimes you have to look at the expense account and weigh one up against the other.

“So I’ll play whatever I can get into next year. That’s the plan. From there, we will wait and see.”

In 2016 at the Open de España Lawrie finished in a share of 53rd place at the Real Golf club Valderrama, Hosted by Sergio Garcia Foundation. At the Tshwane Open in South Africa the Dubliner missed the cut and it was his first full event since September.

Factfile

Residence Dublin

Date of Birth: 22/03/1974

Place of Birth Dublin, Ireland

Family Wife: Philippa (m. 2003), Children: Jessica (2005), Amelia Jane (2007), Elizabeth (2009), Christopher (2011)

Interests Snooker, football, cinema

Turned Pro 1997 (plus 2)

Qualifying School 1998, 99, (00), (01) (14) (15)

Peter Lawrie - 2016

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8/07/2015

Ambassador Hoey Cut

Michael Hoey birdied two of his final three holes but his two under par total that was not enough to make the cut, missing by one shot.

The event ambassador hit a double bogey on his twelfth hole and finished 10 shots behind leader Emilio Cuartero Blanco.

It's the third year in a row Hoey has failed to make the cut in the event.

Blanco shot a second successive round of 65 at Galgorm Castle to lead by one shot on 12 under par at the halfway point of the Northern Ireland Open in Association with Sphere Global and Ulster Bank.

The 24 year old, bidding to become Spain’s third European Challenge Tour winner this season after Nacho Elvira and Borja Virto Astudillo, did not drop a shot all day while adding six birdies to the eight made in his opening round and leads from John Hahn and leading Irishman Niall Turner.

Cuartero Blanco’s previous best finish this season was a tie for ninth in the curtain-raising Barclays Kenya Open but he has quickly found his best form in front of the Northern Irish crowds at one of the best-attended events on the Challenge Tour.

“I played really solid golf again today,” he said. “I didn’t make any mistakes like the two bogeys I had yesterday, and I can’t really complain about anything. I felt strong mentally and played really well for the second day running, so I’m very happy.

“I’m hitting good fairway shots and then off the tee I’m just staying out of trouble, because on this course you can find trouble at any time.

“But I’m especially happy with my mental game. I’m really focused on every shot, I don’t have birdies in my head, it’s just clear and it’s helping me play good golf.

A local player told me 'this is Northern Ireland's only day of summer, so you'd better enjoy it!'

“I got a tip from Nacho on Wednesday afternoon when I was practising my putting. He told me my putting stroke looked really fast and that I should slow it down a little bit and after that I hit through the line better, better speed on my putts as well, so thank you Nacho!

“Conditions were perfect today. I was playing with Gary Wardlow, a local player, and I asked him how many days of summer do they get like this one, and he said ‘one, so you’d better enjoy it!’ I don’t think we could play this course in better conditions really, it’s perfect.

“We’ve only done two days and actually now, we have the hard work to come. I just need to enjoy the course, try to play well, and then on Sunday we will see.”

Hahn, co-leader after round one, needs a good finish to boost his Road to Oman Ranking, where he currently sits in 77th after just one top five finish this season, at the D+D REAL Czech Challenge.

The 26 year old American came through Qualifying School in 2013 to earn a place on The European Tour but insists he is not looking too far ahead at this point, despite his great start here.

“I’m just trying to have fun,” he said. “I wasn’t doing that for a while but I’m just trying to enjoy myself on the golf course now.

“I’ve got no expectations or goals on myself for this week, my only goal would be to maybe get in contention and see how I deal with that.

“My pairing for the first two days, with James Heath and Ross McGowan, was perfect, I’m quite chatty on the course and they made me really comfortable.

“Momentum is a big thing here and I carried some into today so hopefully I can keep that going through the weekend.”

Turner has only recently returned from a long-term back injury but has found form in front of the Irish crowds and is keen to make up for lost time.

“I’ve had a long time waiting to get back out here,” he said. “It’s been a complete nightmare to be honest so to be back now and in contention is fantastic, I couldn’t have wished for anything more.”

One shot further back are Scotland’s Jamie McLeary (pictured above), third here in 2013 and now 21 under par for his last four rounds at Galgorm Castle, and Frenchman Sebastien Gros, currently second in the Road to Oman Rankings.

Daan Huizing (pictured below), another of the co-leaders after the first round and winner of this event in 2013, is well within striking distance on nine under par alongside Australian Scott Arnold.

Northern Ireland’s own Gareth Shaw gave the home fans something to cheer about by firing the low round of the week so far, a seven under par 64 helping him to make the cut after a shaky opening round of 73.

Chris Selfridge trumped Shaw to be the leading Northern Irishman heading into the weekend after the 23 year old carded a five under 66 to sit four off the pace on eight under.

Tournament Ambassador Michael Hoey birdied two of his final three holes but his two under par total that was not enough to make the cut, missing by one shot.

Five Share Lead at Galgorm

Daan Huizing, the 2013 winner of the Northern Ireland Open in Association with Sphere Global and Ulster Bank, was in familiar territory after a six under par round of 65 earned him a share the first round lead with four other players at Galgorm Castle.

Morning starters John Hahn, Haydn Porteous and Niall Turner had already set the clubhouse target before Huizing and Emilio Cuartero Blanco matched them in the afternoon, with conditions perfect for scoring all day.

Dutchman Huizing did not drop a shot during the whole round as he returned to the scene of his maiden European Challenge Tour win, closing with three birdies in his final four holes to move to the summit.

“I’m very pleased,” said the 24 year old. “My game felt nice straight out of the blocks, I was just hitting really great shots. I made a birdie at three which is such a tough hole so that was a bonus, then made another at four.

“There were a couple of missed opportunities but then a really nice finish with a birdie on 15, a long putt on 16 and then just a good hole on 18 for a birdie.

“To switch up a gear and finish with three birdies in four holes is good and gives me a bit of momentum tomorrow, and I’m in the lead, which is a familiar position here for me, but there’s a lot of golf left.

“This is a very pleasant atmosphere, all the people are very kind, and it’s a really good course. Off the tee it’s very demanding, the greens are really good, and it makes me focus a bit better to really hit good shots. I’ve got a good feel on the greens here as well, which helps.”

South African co-leader Porteous was part of a remarkable group with Sebastien Gros and Simon Thornton, who both shot rounds of 66 to leave the group with an aggregate score of 16 under par on the opening day.

The 21 year old is currently 12th in the Road to Oman Rankings, aided by his victory in the season-opening Barclays Kenya Open, and showed signs of a return to form with a top five finish at Le Vaudreuil Golf Challenge last month.

“I’m delighted with a 65, it’s always a great number to shoot,” he said. “I played very well from tee to green and made a few putts – I’ve been working hard on the mental side of my putting, I’ve been through a nervy spell, so I’m working hard and reading books and just trying to stay positive about it.

“Today was the first sign of progress so let’s hope this weekend it can stay like that and my ball striking stays the same.

“The win in Kenya sort of came out of the blue. I’d been struggling with my game from the end of last year to the beginning of this year and then Kenya was a surprise win.

“I feel like I’m in a better place with my game, physically and mentally, and I’ve got to stay with what I’m doing and hopefully I can get better in the mental aspect and challenge again this week.”

American Hahn’s best finish on the European Challenge Tour this season was a tie for fourth at the D+D REAL Czech Challenge in May, while highest-placed Irishman Turner has found remarkable form given he has just returned from a lengthy injury lay-off.

Cuartero Blanco, meanwhile, is seeking to follow in the footsteps of Nacho Elvira and Borja Virto Astudillo and become the third Spaniard to win on the Challenge Tour this season, and he got off to the perfect start, carding the best round of his career on Europe’s top developmental tour.

Irish former European Tour winner Simon Thornton was one of 11 players a shot off the pace in tied sixth place, as was Frenchman Gros, who currently lies in second place on the Road to Oman.

Michael Hoey, the Tournament Ambassador, opened with a one under par 70 as the five-time European Tour winner attempts to make the weekend's play at home event for the first time in three years.

11/20/2014

Profile - Gareth Maybin

Getty Images

In 2010 Gareth Maybin secured a second place finish at the fog plagued Ballantine’s Championship at the Pinx Golf Club to secure his playing rights for the 2011 season, easing the pressure of needing that late surge in earnings to keep his card.

In fact on the final day in Korea Maybin may have done even better except he faded down the stretch, losing out on sole possession of second place after a par putt at the last lipped out. The level par 72 score dropped him back alongside Australia's Brett Rumford - albeit a vital pay day of €191,516.50 towards the Race to Dubai

Originally from Ballyclare in Northern Ireland, Maybin had a very successful career as an amateur, representing Ireland at boys, youth and senior levels, in addition to wins in the Leinster Youths and North of Ireland.

In 2001 Gareth accepted a four year golf scholarship at the University of South Alabama, where he set a record by winning eight times in one season, beating PGA Tour player Heath Slocum’s record of seven wins. In 2004 Gareth played on the successful European Palmer Cup team at Ballybunion Golf Club and was also a member of that year’s Walker Cup panel.

Maybin turned professional after the 2004 University season, initially playing on the Hooters Tour in the US, where he was named Rookie of the Year in 2005.

After two wins on the Tour, in 2005 and 2006, and a victory in the 2006 Alabama Open, he returned to Europe to compete on the European Challenge Tour, for the second half of the 2007 season. After four top ten finishes in only ten events, including a third place finish in the First Plus Wales Challenge, Gareth finished the season in 49th position on the Order of Merit and secured full Challenge Tour playing rights for 2008. Gareth rounded off 2007 in style, playing in the World Cup of Golf with fellow Northern Irishman Michael Hoey, at Mission Hills in China.

Maybin had a superb 2008 season on the Challenge Tour, with nine top-10 finishes, including his first Challenge Tour victory at the Qingdao Golf Open in September. Gareth’s consistent performances saw him finish the 2008 season ranked 4th on the Challenge Tour Rankings. This secured a category 10 card on the main European Tour for the 2009 season, which gave Gareth entry to most tournaments.

He took full advantage of this opportunity, and nearly secured the European Tour’s Rookie Of The Season award for 2009. Maybin had no fewer than seven top-10 finishes, and came close to winning on a number of occasions. None more so than at the South African Open Championship, where he missed out on a play-off. Gareth finished 53rd in the final 2009 Race to Dubai rankings, a superb debut season.

Maybin would continue in the same vein going into 2010, narrowly missing out securing his first European Tour victory. Gareth would secure five top-10s, including finishing second at the Ballantine's Championship in Korea and also the Andalucia Valderrama Masters in Spain. He sampled his first taste of Major golf by qualifying for both the US Open and the Open Championship on his way to finishing 40th in the Race to Dubai.

The 2011 season however saw a loss of momentum mid season with a large number of missed cuts impacting his twenty eight season starts, including the Irish Open presented by Discover Ireland in Jillana. The loss in earnings was sufficient to cause concern through the last few events in the European Tour schedule, nit helped when Maybin earned only €8,700 from 57th place at the Andalucia Masters.

However fortune favoured and a €13,327 cheque in Hong Kong moved him to 117th from 120th in the Race to Dubai standings.

With the three players ahead of him - Fredrik Jacobsen, Ryan Moore and Tom Lewis - not playing the required number of tournaments to count, this bumped him to 114th on the list - one spot inside the automatic 115 players on the money list who retain their playing privileges for the new year.

In 2012 Maybin left Horizon Sports to join a new management company Sportology.

The highlight of his 2013 campaign came at the Aberdeen Asset Management Scottish Open, where he followed up a joint eighth finish in the Alstom Open de France with a joint fifth finish behind Phil Mickelson.

Needed to make the cut in his last event of the 2011 season, the UBS Hong Kong Open, to have any chance of keeping his card, and duly did so, coming tied 39th to scrape in in 117th place in The Race to Dubai.

Was a less nervy finish in 2012, when he took 111th place. His highest finish in the Money List was in 2010, when he came 40th. Graduated from the Challenge Tour in 2008, the year he won his maiden title, at the Qingdao Golf Open.

2014 loses European Tour card after finishes 123rd in the Race to Dubai.

At The European Tour Final Qualifying a 58th place finish ended Maybin's hopes of a quick recovery of playing rights.

Personal Details

Date of Birth: 14th September 1980

Management: Sportology

Residence: Ballyclare, Northern Ireland

Turned Professional: 2005

Interests: Football, Shooting, Cars and Pool

Tour school: 2007 (14)
Career earnings €2,363,328 [November 2014]

11/19/2014

Four Irish Face Final Thursday Test

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Peter Lawrie signed for level par in the fifth round of The European Tour Final Qualifying on the Stadium Course at PGA Catalunya to finish T29 on Wednesday.

Having started with two birdies through his first six holes but then lost one when the Dubliner carded a bogey the eighth hole and made the turn one under par. But with three bogeys and only two birdies on the front nine Lawrie ended the day signing for a 72.

More importantly it was a drop of ten places and ending the second last day just outside the top 25

Kevin Phelan carded a two over par round to finish in a share of 38th. Two dropped shots on the front nine and then a level par finish to the clubhouse resulted in a drop of 12 places and one stroke outside the mark

Simon Thornton also finished over par with a 73.

A double bogey six on the par four 6th with birdies on holes 14 and 17 reducing the damage to just one stroke. Despite sharing 38th place Thornton remains two strokes off the minimum needed to get within the top 25 places.

Gareth Maybin signed for a two over par 74 and dropped 6 shots and carding only for birdies.

In share of 61st place the Ballyclare man needs a strong finish on Thursday to get amongst the top qualifiers.

Renato Paratore is on course to become the youngest winner in European Tour Qualifying School history after storming two shots clear at the top of the Final Stage leaderboard with 18 holes remaining of the marathon contest at PGA Catalunya Resort.

Paratore, the youngest man in the field this week at just 17 years, fired a superb 67 across the testing Stadium Course in Girona on Wednesday to surge into pole position on 17 under par after 90 holes with Finland’s Mikko Korhonen the closest of the chasing pack after an excellent 68.

Four-time European Tour winner Ricardo Gonzalez (70) lies a further two shots adrift heading into the final day alongside overnight leader, England’s Matt Ford (72) as the chase for a place in the top 25 and The Race to Dubai riches that will bring nears its denouement for another year.

8/02/2014

Archibald Walks in My Shoes at Mount Wolseley

PGA EuroPro Tour

Stuart Archibald won his first HotelPlanner.com PGA EuroPro Tour title since 2011 with victory at the Walk In My Shoes Open at Mount Wolseley Hotel, Spa & Country Club in Co. Carlow, Ireland.

The Englishman carded a final round 69 to finish 14 under par, two clear of second placed Michael McGeady (North West Golf Club), who shot 66 for his final round on the par 72 course.

The victory is Archibald’s third win on the Tour and propels him to eighth on the Order of Merit, from which the top five at the end of the season earn a Challenge Tour card for 2014.

Archibald collected a winner’s cheque for £10,000, a brand new Motocaddy and Shotsaver range finder. However, following a bet with former European and PGA Tour player turned TV pundit John E. Morgan, the 30 year old must now also dye his beard blue.

“I wasn’t really sure about this week,” admitted Archibald. “I wasn’t sure how the course would play. It is quite firm and the greens are soft but we weren’t really sure if it was going to be a low scoring week, so when Watts went a bit crazy the first two days I was teeing off for my second round and thought it would be a struggle to catch him.

“My group for the second round managed to shoot a combined score of 20 under par, so we all carried each other through and that put me in a good position for the final round. I had a target in mind of 14 under and I thought that might get me there, and it proved the case.

“At dinner on Tuesday evening John Morgan was reminiscing and we shared stories. He told us all about how he had blue hair when he played PGA Tour, and he has been on about my beard all year long. He has told me not to shave it, to keep growing it.

“He said he would love to dye it, and I wasn’t so keen. But I told him if I won this week I would let him dye it any colour he wanted, and he went for blue. I have shot myself in the foot there so next week at Moor Allerton I will let John dye the beard blue.

“We have played in Ireland every year since I started playing the tour and we always get great support, so I want to thank everybody for that.”

Overnight leader Watts finished third on ten under after a final-round 71 and Billy Hemstock (Teignmouth Golf Club) and Richard Kilpatrick (Banbridge Golf Club) shared fourth on eight under.

Mark Murphy forced himself into contention with eight birdies on the front nine. However, a double at the tenth and a bogey at 11 saw him slip back and he signed for a final-round 66 (-6) with a birdie at 14 to finish the tournament seven under and tied sixth with four other golfers, including Nick McCarthy who shot 29 for his back nine to card a 65.

Highlights of the Walk In My Shoes Open, including more on John E. Morgan’s blue beard bet with Archibald, air on Sky Sports on Tuesday, August 12 with repeats the following day.

The HotelPlanner.com PGA EuroPro Tour heads to Leeds next week for the Clipper Logistics Championship at Moor Allerton Golf Club.

8/01/2014

Watts Closes in at Mount Wolseley

PGAEuroPro Tour

James Watts is closing in on his second HotelPlanner.com PGA EuroPro Tour win in three weeks as he takes a one-stroke lead into the final round of the Walk In My Shoes Open after a second consecutive six-under-par 66.

The Englishman won the Simpson & Marwick Championship at Royal Burgess Golfing Society of Edinburgh two weeks ago and sits on 12 under par ahead of the final round at Mount Wolseley Hotel, Spa & Country Club in Co. Carlow, Ireland.

Stuart Archibald (The Legend Alliance) is one behind after carding a second-round 65 on the par-72 course to move to 11 under, while Richard Kilpatrick’s (Banbridge Golf Club) second-round 66 will see him start the final round third on eight under, four behind the leader.

Watts (Kingsway Golf Centre) carded six birdies in his opening eight holes on Wednesday, and began Thursday’s second round on the tenth tee at six under. Birdies at 12, 14 and 16 took him to nine under and despite two bogeys on the regular front nine he was still able to sign for 66 thanks to three birdies and an eagle on the par-four fourth.

The top five on the Order of Merit at the end of the season earn Challenge Tour cards, and Watts currently lies fifth with £15,109.37 to his name. The Walk In My Shoes Open carries a £40,000 prize fund with £10,000 going to the winner, and victory would see the Hertfordshire golfer move to second on the all-important rankings.

“I hit 3-wood up the left on the fourth,” explained Watts of his eagle. “I got it to within 74 yards and holed it from there, which was lucky.

“I was a bit disappointed because both bogeys I had came from three putts so that was annoying, but I am pleased with another 66.

“Having the win under my belt I know how to deal with the TV cameras and the pressure, but it is a case of doing what I have been doing all week and seeing what happens.

“There is almost more pressure on the final round this week. If I get a second win then it is almost job done in terms of finishing top five on the Order of Merit. With the first win there was no guarantees but a second win would move you a lot closer to job done.”

The final round of the Walk In My Shoes Open will be filmed for a two-hour highlights programme to be broadcast on Sky Sports on Tuesday, August 12, with repeats the following day. Spectator entry is free of charge and live scoring can be found at www.europrotour.com.