Peter Lawrie took the trophy and the €34,260 first prize in the Challenge Tour Grand Final in Bordeaux yesterday when he fired a final round best-of-the-day 65 to finish four shots clear of his nearest challenger, Frenchman Julien Van Hauwe. His flawless 65 contained six birdies, and over his final 45 holes Lawrie made 10 birdies and an eagle without dropping a stroke.
The victory, his first on the Challenge Tour, pushed Lawrie to fourth place on the final Order of Merit with a total of €89,072, which will be a big boost as he contemplates the coming season on the European Tour.
He had gone into the final round leading on six-under-par 207 after a third round 69 on Saturday had left him a stroke ahead of Italian Massimo Florioli, and that lead became three at the turn yesterday after birdies at the seventh and eighth.
The Dubliner reeled off four birdies in the space of five holes from the 10th to leave the rest trailing. The Frenchman consolidated his second place and 15th spot on the Order of Merit with a fine 67.
"At seven I holed from four feet, at the eighth I knocked it to a foot-and-a-half, and on 10 I was on the front of the green and two-putted. I hit a four-iron to eight feet at 12, on 13 I hit a six-iron to about three feet, and at 14 I holed from about 20 feet for birdie," explained Lawrie.
"At the last I left it dead from 50 feet and also had a chance at 17, and I'm absolutely delighted, it's a great way to finish the Challenge Tour and hopefully this will be a sign of good things to come."
Reminded that he had played two-and-a-half rounds without dropping a shot, Lawrie continued: "Yes, I doubled the ninth on Friday and that was my last dropped shot. I've been playing quite well lately. I only made two bogeys all last week in Holland over 72 holes, so consistency was the key really.
"I knew going out that if I hit fairways and greens, especially the way the weather was at the start, although it turned out lovely later with a little bit of wind, but we all are used to that in Ireland!
"I can't get over it, I couldn't get over last week that I'd sealed my card coming second but this week is just a dream come true.
"I said I would just play the course when I went out, I didn't try to protect the lead at all, and the win has been a long time coming. A lot of the credit is down to Brendan McDaid, my coach, who has helped me a lot, and it's my parent's anniversary today so it's a nice present.
"Hopefully I won't be the only additional Irish member of the tour next year, as I know that Damien (McGrane), Gary (Murphy) and Paddy Gribben are all going to the tour school."
