By Eric Nicolson

VERY FEW golfers arrive at an Open venue with a smile on their face when a 30mph gale is blowing and the rough is thick and deep, but Scotland’s Paul Lawrie is definitely one of them.

The Aberdonian famously made his name as a player who can excel when the weather turns ugly and a course is baring its teeth by winning the championship at a brutal Carnoustie in 1999 while other contenders were falling by the wayside.

Yesterday’s final practice round at Royal Birkdale saw players having to make club adjustments as much as four up and four down, and Lawrie is hoping that if these conditions are replicated today, with rain expected to be thrown into the mix as well, it will help show him at his best.

“I love it when it is like this. I really enjoy it”, he admitted.

“The course is very tough and it’s going to be extremely difficult out there this week. Even the good wind players can still get tripped up.

“Today I had to hit a four iron into the wind to get the ball 140 yards, then on another hole which was straight downwind I hit a nine iron 198 yards.

“That’s what it’s all about as far as I’m concerned.”

Lawrie was the first on the course for practice yesterday, teeing off at 6.30am, and he believes that it has given him the ideal preparation.

He observed, “I’d walked the course on Tuesday night with wedges and my putter after flying down.

“Today nobody was around when I got out, and me and Anthony Wall were round in three hours.

“Nobody was holding us up and it’s definitely the way to do it. I hit the ball very well. “I’ve been feeling really close to the top of my game for a long time and finishing ninth at Loch Lomond last week was the worst I could have done.

“I felt I played beautifully.

“If I had a bogey I made a birdie straight afterwards nearly every time.

“When you’re doing things like that you know you’re getting even closer.”

As the last European to defend at Open title, Lawrie is well placed to offer advice to the man who will today take over that task, fellow Carnoustie success story, Irishman Padraig Harrington.

“It’s difficult to defend any tournament, let alone The Open”, he said.

“I actually played really well when I defended in 2000 at St Andrews but I putted awfully that week.

“Padraig will find it tough.

“There’s a lot more to do than you realise.

“When you’re Open champion it’s a very busy week.”

If Lawrie had to tip a European, other than himself, to follow on from he and Harrington, he would look to US Open nearly man, Lee Westwood.

He commented, “For a player of his quality, Lee is well overdue a major. I would fancy him this week.”