David Law

Nobody could begrudge David Law his maiden European Tour victory over the weekend but one man will have watched the triumph with more interest than most – Paul Lawrie.

The 1999 Champion Golfer of the Year – who memorably clinched the Claret Jug in a dramatic play-off at Carnoustie – set up The Paul Lawrie Foundation in 2001 and has helped attract more than 20,000 children into the game of golf since.

One of those was Law, who first got involved with the Foundation as a ten-year-old and has been mentored and supported by Lawrie during his professional career.

The 27-year-old spent five seasons on the second-tier Challenge Tour circuit after turning pro in 2014 before earning a top-15 finish in the 2018 Challenge Tour Rankings and graduating to the European Tour.

Just four tournaments in and he claimed a maiden victory – eagling the 18th and overcoming a three-shot deficit in the final three holes to win the ISPS Handa Vic Open in Australia.

The R&A have been supporting The Paul Lawrie Foundation since 2005, one of a number of Champion Golfer foundations supported in order to encourage Golf Development across the world. 

Law’s victory is just the latest success for the Foundation as Lawrie saw another of his graduates, Sam Locke, win the Silver Medal at The 147th Open at Carnoustie last summer.

And the 50-year-old is pleased with how his foundation has developed over the years.

“It’s grown hugely every year since it started,” explained Lawrie. “My wife and I are both hugely involved and come to most events.

“As the years went on, people got to know about it that little bit more. I knocked on a few doors and twisted a few arms at the start and now we have hardly had a sponsor pull out.

“They just want to help kids get into the game.

After grinding his way around the second-tier circuit for half a decade, Law’s promotion to the European Tour largely came about after winning the SSE Scottish Hydro Challenge last year, just months before he considered taking up other work instead of golf this winter.

In Australia this weekend, the 27-year-old was three shots back as he stood on the 16th tee at 13th Beach Golf Club but made birdie, eagled the 18th and then watched leader Wade Ormsby double bogey the 17th to hand him victory.

“It's massive,” said Law. “It's not something I expected. For me just being out here playing on the European Tour was enough.

“I've been loving the four events I've played so far and to just be a European Tour player was what I was happy with. To have won today, it sort of changes things a little bit. I'll go home, reflect a little bit on things and reassess.

“We said we were going to try to finish three-two-four in the hope that we could get a top-three finish. 

“Then birdie 16, par 17, and going down the last we said we need eagle. We make eagle, we post at 18 under, you never know what can happen."

Law’s success is just the latest for a Paul Lawrie Foundation graduate but the odds suggest it won’t be the last.