The former Open champion fired a stunning course record of 62 to give himself a one-shot lead going into the final round of the Costa Navarino Legends Tour Trophy.
Paul Lawrie notched 10 birdies and no dropped shots to storm up the leaderboard and reach -11 in south-west Greece. The Scot is chased by six Englishmen making up the rest of the top seven players, with 2023 Legends Tour number one Peter Baker best-placed to challenge him at -10.
Scoring was excellent on the Hills Course, with 37 of the 60 players breaking par, and 15 of them signing for rounds of 68 or better. It’s set up to be a fantastic battle in the final round with five of the top seven in the Order of Merit inside the top-10 and within four shots of the lead.
Two-time Ryder Cupper Lawrie had a disappointing finish to yesterday’s 71 on the International Olympic Academy Golf Couse with three shots going in his final three holes, but he came storming out the blocks on the Hills Course with five birdies in his first seven holes to make the turn in 31 strokes.
The three-time Legends Tour winner kept his foot on the accelerator as he reeled off more red numbers at the 11th, 13th, 14th and 16th before adding the exclamation mark to an already spectacular round with his 10th birdie of the day at the closing hole.
“I played nicely today,” said the 1999 Open champion. “I actually played nicely yesterday and had a terrible finish and gave away a few at the end there, so I kind of knew I was playing alright. I got off to a good start this morning and just kept it going really. I hit a lot of really good shots. I only had one shot really off-line – the tee shot at 17 – but I managed to make a four from that. I was never really in trouble. I had a lot of chances, and a few went in.
“Everything was good today. I wouldn’t say anything was outstanding, really, but just really solid. Ball-striking was good, I didn’t have an awful lot of chips because I hit a lot of greens. I putted lovely today – nothing silly or long, just chances that you should be making.”
Baker was tied for the lead after the first day and he recorded another 67 to sit at -10. The former Ryder Cup player is yet to drop a shot this week, and it looked like he would be the man to catch as he made five birdies in the first 11 holes, but he parred his way home from the 12th for solo-2nd.
Simon Griffiths, who won the first event of the season at the Staysure Marbella Legends, recovered from a bogey at the 1st with five birdies in his next six holes and two more on the back nine to shoot a 66. He’s joined in tied-3rd at -9 by Matt Cort, who’s playing his rookie season on the Legends Tour after earning his card at Qualifying School in January. He had a 67 that featured seven birdies and two bogeys, including one at the 18th.
There’s another trio of Englishmen in tied-5th at -8. Order of Merit number five Greg Owen had a bogey-free 66, Gary Evans had nine birdies in his superb 65, and 2003 Open de France winner Philip Golding moved up the field with a 67.
Order of Merit number one Scott Hend, OFX Irish Legends winner James Kingston and reigning Staysure PGA Seniors champion Robert Coles are tied-8th, with Stephen Gallacher, Joakim Haeggman and Thomas Gögele a shot further back at -6. David Drysdale shared the overnight lead with Baker, but he could only muster a level-par 72 that saw him slide into tied-14th.
The players head back to the International Olympic Academy Golf Course – where the first round was played – for Saturday’s third and final round. Go to www.legendstour.com to see the full leaderboard and round three tee times.
Round 2 Highlights
