Luckless Lawrie will need prayer as well as practice to regain Open glory

THE 15th tee-box in Adare Manor Hotel and Golf Resort is where new meets old; if you’re having a bad day on the ‘big course’, as it’s known locally, here is where you can just take a few paces to the right as you come off the 14th, and hit off for yourself down the par-five second of the original, old Adare Manor Golf Club — take a different course, so to speak.

Paul Lawrie was having just such a day yesterday; having started his round tied for 92nd position on five over, he went on a bit of a tear, reached the turn at two under for the day, three over overall, and the cut in sight.

That was the old Paul Lawrie, the player who shocked the golf world in 1999, came out of nowhere to grind out a most unlikely win in the Open in Carnoustie (well, came out of up the road, drove home every evening, but you know what I mean). Then came a touch of the new Paul, the Paul Lawrie that has struggled for any kind of form on this year’s tour (125th on the tour).