The defining years in the career of Paul Lawrie

1986 – Turned professional

Lawrie turned professional aged just 17 on April 1 and, at the time, his handicap was five and he had no real amateur record to speak of. But Doug Smart, then the club professional at Banchory, saw something in the Scot and hired him as an assistant. At first, his ambitions extended no further than being a club professional, but winning his first event, the Moray Seafoods Open at Buckpool, was the start of a special career…