After sitting out most of 2018 with a foot injury that eventually required surgery, Paul Lawrie returns to European Tour action this month – and he’ll have good company in the form of David Law and Sam Locke, both of whom have signed up to his burgeoning management stable.
Both Law and Locke joined Lawrie’s Five Star Sports Agency last year and will tee it up alongside Lawrie in the 22nd edition of the Commercial Bank Qatar Masters – an event the Scot won twice in 1999 and 2012. Law is already a European Tour winner having clinched the ISPS Handa Vic Open in Australia in February while Locke plays in Qatar as a tournament invite after he won the Silver Medal as the leading amateur at last year’s Open Championship at Carnoustie.
Elite Amateur Level
“Sam and David have both been involved with the Paul Lawrie Foundation since they were 9 or 10 years old, so when they improved to an elite amateur level and were ready to turn professional it felt like a natural progression for them to sign up with Five Star,” said Lawrie. “The work we do with the Foundation is not merely to raise golfers to win on Tour – but when one of our kids does win it’s an amazing feeling and we hope that David’s win in Australia will inspire the juniors. I’ve been involved in both Sam and David’s careers right from the word go and they really are both great players with huge potential.”
Lawrie is feeling comfortable again playing golf after almost a year out and it was during this downtime that the former Open Champion started his management company. “It’s a different role for me,” he says. “I’ll be the one setting up meetings and arranging deals for the players, and that’s the bit I really enjoy. “I’ve been involved with a few different management groups over the years and I’ve learned from them all. We are a very young company, but my plan is to build it as big as it can go.”Now aged 50, Lawrie plans to share his time across the European Tour, Staysure Tour and the senior Majors on the PGA Tour Champions, but he’s happy to be returning to Doha where he has some happy memories.
“Doha Golf Club is one of my favourite courses to play,” said Lawrie. “It’s a course that asks you to hit knock-down shots and I’ve always enjoyed that. I’ve been pretty good at keeping the ball low and bumping it into the greens. “I’ve won twice in Qatar but I’ve also had other really good weeks, so it’s a tournament I always look forward to and try desperately not to miss.”
