Paul Lawrie’s campaign for a Ryder Cup return got a huge boost by him sharing second place in the BMW PGA Championship, but he won’t think for a second that the job is done until he’s there.
”That’s the way it’s got to be,” said the Aberdonian, whose final round 66 could have easily been a couple of shots better but was the best of the day among the leading players, shooting him up to a cheque for £312,000 and his second runners-up spot at Wentworth, and putting him second on the Ryder Cup points list.
He added: ”I’m going to be something like 850,000 euro ahead of the guy in fifth or sixth place in the rankings, but he could win a couple of tournaments or maybe the Open and go by me.
”It’s a nice position I’m in, and I’m doing all right, but I’m very much playing it one tournament at a time, playing as hard as possible, not thinking for a second it’s done yet.”
Lawrie will not reconsider his decision not to go the US Open, where a whole lot of qualifying points are available.
He said: ”I made the decision a long time ago, and I know it’s raised a few eyebrows because people don’t give up exempt spots in majors very often, but it’s the right move for me.
”I realise I may have upset some people, but the big priority for me is to get Ryder Cup points.”Slow startOn Sunday Lawrie got off to a slowish start, but a four-iron to five feet at the long fourth brought the eagle that got him into the mix.
He followed with five more birdies and just a sole bogey when he hit his only really loose shot at the 13th, but he felt there were more chances out there.
”It’s typical me, still moaning, but I could have holed a few more putts and it could have been even better,” he added, even if Luke Donald’s margin of victory of four shots would probably have meant the defending champion held on.
”I’m definitely putting much better and my stats will probably reflect that, but it doesn’t stop me thinking I should have made a few more.”
Better averages on the greens of 28-30 putts a round instead of 33-34 are the chief reason for his renaissance recently, he thinks, but once again he credited his growing sons as an inspiration.
”The boys have been brilliant,” he said.
”Before I was in a rut and getting a bit too technical, I’d go home and hit hundreds of balls and still get frustrated.
”Now the boys are old enough and I go home and play rounds with them, and the result is that I feel I’m tournament sharp all the time.
”They also help me in that I used to get annoyed at things for a week or two, but now the boys give me a bit of abuse about it and generally that helps you lighten up a bit.”Workout warriorLawrie has added to this by working out to be stronger and also improving his ball-striking.
”The confidence goes up and right now it’s never been better,” he said.
”All of a sudden I feel I have a chance most weeks and the consistency is so pleasing.”
Evidence of this was the four-iron in to the 18th green to a tough back-left pin which brought his final birdie and the chance to share second with Justin Rose.
Lawrie said: ”Two hundered and fourteen yards I had left, and to be standing there in that situation needing that shot, taking it on under pressure and executing is really good.”
Lawrie will now move on to Wales, where he is a former champion.
”I’ll go in there and try as hard as I can again,” he said.
”There’s still a long way to go although this is clearly a big step forward.”