Team GolfXYZ
Paul Lawrie, a much-revered man in Scottish golf, has endeared himself to the fraternity even more with his latest project. The former Open champion, put his weight and clout behind the new Tartan Pro Tour, a series of six 36-hole events around the country in August and September. That could be a huge boon for the upcoming and other Scottish-based professionals, who nurse dreams of getting up higher levels in the sport.
The third level Tours in Europe, which come after the European and European Challenge Tours, are not really money-spinners for those plying their trade on it, but it does give them a platform to grown, making it so important. The Tartan Tour is a kind a lifeline for the Scotland-based pros.
Earlier in the year, as Covid-19 spread through the world and the UK, including Scotland, the PGA EuroPro Tour, the circuit where many Scots play, cancelled its entire 2020 schedule due to the lockdown. That meant a full year gone for the professionals.
Lawrie, 51, whose own son, Craig, played on the EuroPro Tour, stepped him and backed by his sponsors, old and new, helped set up the Tartan Pro Tour.
It’s not just providing welcome compeitive action for
The home-based tour Scottish professionals, both male and female, will be playing at some cracking courses, including the championship layouts at Carnoustie and Royal Dornoch, as well as the New and Jubiles Courses at St Andrews. There also events at Pollok in Glasgow and Rowallan Castle in Ayrshire, as well as the Scottish Par 3 Championship over the terrific Devenick Course at Lawrie’s golf centre on the outskirts of Aberdeen.
For the more established players, the European and Challenge Tours will resume soon and the Tartan Tour will provide a lifeline for those below that level.
“My son Craig has a EuroPro exemption but guys like him have nowhere to play until March,” Lawrie told the BBC.
“That is a long time for a golfer. A lot of them might just go ‘I’ll need to get a job’. So this is a lifeline for an absolute pile of them, male and female. There is very little for the girls at the moment.”
He added: “It is important that it is successful and that people support it, and we keep the sponsors rolling in and we keep the venues high standard.”
