Lawrie shocked by ban
John Daly is not the only ex-Open champion competing in this week’s Irish Open while serving a ban – Paul Lawrie is too.
In Daly’s case it is from the US Tour for six months, but in Lawrie’s case it is indefinitely from the Meldrum House club near his Aberdeen home where he was made an honorary member.
The American was suspended after being put in jail to sober up, but all Lawrie did was make some comments about the state of the greens.
That was enough, though, to result in a letter informing the 40-year-old to stay away.
“I was absolutely gobsmacked,” Lawrie said after an opening six-under 66 in The 3 Irish Open.
“It’s not going to bother me one little bit, as you can see today. It’s not going to harm my career by one shot.
“When I got the letter I assumed it was a wind up, but unfortunately it wasn’t.
“I obviously didn’t want the situation to arise. The conversation I had with the greenkeeper was about 20 seconds. I asked him what was happening with the greens and he said ‘What do you mean?’
“I said ‘They’re pretty bumpy, the ball is jumping all over the place’. He obviously took it the wrong way.
“I’ve had an unbelievable amount of texts. I know an awful lot of members and most of them have texted me or left a message with support, saying ‘How poorly you’ve been treated and how we’re all angry’.”
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