An Open at Muirfield has special meaning for Paul Lawrie maybe even more than the site of his win in 1999 at Carnoustie because it was his first.
“It’s still the same feeling when I go there,” he said. “It’s very special. You drive through the gates of the golf course and you are looking forward to the week.
“It’s my favourite Open venue, my favourite course.
“The membership issue of the club does not concern me I just play the golf course, I’m not there to meet the membership.”
Lawrie doesn’t look at his 1999 Open win on video any more, as it has served its purpose.
“I used to get the video out of 1999 quite a lot, but I haven’t done it for a long time now because you have to start looking forward,” he continued.
“Perhaps the only way I would look at it now and again these days is to watch how I putted. I putted magnificently that week with a little longer and slower stroke.
“I won’t bother looking it out this week because, to be honest, I hit very few poor putts last week at Castle Stuart even though I didn’t hole a lot. It’s not a huge concern.”
So much of the Open comes down to fortune, with the draw and the weather, he added.
“It all depends on the weather. If it’s a bit blowy, you need to control your ball flight. If it’s flat calm, you just have to putt well.
“You get a bit of everything in Scotland at the Open. It’s not going to be beautiful all week. People went on about scores being unbelievably low at Castle Stuart but look at Sunday, it wasn’t easy.
‘I don’t mind what weather we get. I’d just like one shot less than the rest.”