Woods laments 'unfortunate' Lawrie

Tiger Woods, the world’s most famous golfer, has demanded credit be paid to the Open’s forgotten champion.

No European has won a major since Paul Lawrie carried off the Claret Jug at Carnoustie back in 1999.

But most people remember that Open for the way Frenchman Jean van de Velde squandered a three-shot lead on the final hole, famously paddling around in the greenside burn before losing the subsequent play-off.

Woods believes Lawrie did not get the kudos he deserved.

He said: “It was unfortunate. A three-shot lead and he [Van de Velde] goes into a play-off. He got a good break off the tee and a bad break off the second shot and it obviously escalated from there.

“Not too many people really realise that Paul Lawrie won the tournament and Jean ended up not winning the tournament.

“People remember Jean for what he did rather than Paul coming from 10 down and winning a play-off. It’s unfortunate, very unfortunate. But some weird things happen in this game.”

Woods is 3-1 favourite with most bookmakers to lift his third successive Claret Jug, a feat last achieved by Peter Thomson more than half a century ago.

He was due to start his fourth practice round today, once more at the crack of dawn to avoid the attention which inevitably surrounds him.

But he insisted the course was much fairer than when Lawrie lifted the trophy 31 major tournaments ago when irate players gave the Angus links, with its punishing rough and narrow fairways, the sobriquet of ’Carnasty.’

“It’s extremely fair,” said Woods. “Not like it was in 1999. It’s probably a little more difficult than it was in the Scottish Opens I played.

“If we have any kind of wind on this golf course it just becomes a lot more difficult than you think. You really have to hit the ball well here. The greens are extremely subtle, just like all links courses they are hard to read.”

Woods also said he would like to see the Ryder Cup played on a links course.

“That would be nice,” he said. “Yes, I wish we played more golf courses like this. The only thing that’s different about playing the Tour week in and week out is probably the rough length. The golf courses are virtually the same. All the players enjoy going back to the old-style courses now and then.”