PAUL LAWRIE made the utmost of his good fortune in the Catalan Open to achieve his first PGA European tour victory at Bonmont near Tarragona yesterday.
A first round 65 last Thursday had taken the 27-year-old Scot to the head of the wind-blown field and he stayed there after compiling a hard fought 70 on Saturday afternoon for a nine under par total of 135.
Lawrie spent a sleepless night wondering if any of the 65 players still to complete the second round yesterday would overhaul him, but his fears proved unjustified.
Only England's David Howell and Italian Emmanuele Bolognesi threatened, and their challenges were short lived. Howell, a member of last year's winning Walker Cup team, was six under par with nine holes to play yesterday morning, but three putted two of his first three greens to fade to a 74 and a share of eighth place.
Bolognesi got out in 32 and birdied the eleventh to also move six under but could make no further improvement and had to settle for a share of fourth place with Andrew Sherborne.
Spaniards Fernando Roca and Domingo Hospital took second and third places, as Lawrie celebrated his maiden victory worth £50,000. Paul McGinley, who played his last 11 holes yesterday in two under par wrapped in waterproofs and a woolly hat to combat an icy wind, was the leading Irishman, scoring 70 to share 15th place on a two under par 142.
"Paul got a great break when the tournament had to be cut to 36 holes because of the gales that prevented any golf on Friday", said McGinley. "But good luck to him, he did all that he had to do to win."
McGinley's consolation was to win £3,851 taking his 1996 winnings to more than £63,000. He moved up one place in the order of merit to fifth.
Lawrie who finished 107th on the money list last year can trace his revival to a chance meeting at Dublin airport with top coach David Leadbetter.
The Scot asked Nick Faldo's guru for a lesson and at the end of the season enrolled at his winter training camp in Florida. "I learnt more there in six days than I had in 10 previous years in golf," he remarked.
Since then Lawrie has been having regular sessions with Leadbetter's British representative David Whelan, and his confidence has soared.
"I knew I was playing well when I came to Spain and I felt very confident. I felt I would win if it had been over 72 holes," said Lawrie, who followed McGinley as European Under 25 champion.
The Dubliner, who shot an inward 34 with four birdies yesterday, added: "I had no chance of catching Paul from seven behind with only one round to go, but I am happy with my game at the moment." McGinley will take a break from this week's tournament in Morocco before resuming in Dubai and Lisbon.
Padraig Harrington, who had 69 for level par 144 on Saturday, tied 31st to win £2,313, while defending champion Philip Walton was the other Irish prize winner with a 71 for 146 that gave him £940. Walton felt he had played solidly but had been let down by his putting.
David Higgins (76-73) John McHenry (76-75) Francis Howley (74-78) and Raymond Burns (78-74) finished out of the money as did Jimmy Heggarty who withdrew after his first day 83.
