Lawrie rediscovers winning feeling

Paul Lawrie still has a long way to go to get back to where he once was in golf - like The Masters, for example.

But the 42-year-old former Open champion is a lot closer than a week ago after ending nine years without a European Tour victory at the Andalucian Open in Malaga.

"It's been a long time - 2002 seems a helluva time ago," he said. "I've had a few second places in there, but all of a sudden we're there again. It was going pear-shaped a little bit, but you've just got to keep going - that's all you can do. I played lovely and the putter behaved better. I got on a nice run at the right time."

One ahead overnight, Lawrie bogeyed the first two holes and playing partner Mark Foster's birdies at them took the Worksop player three clear.

Foster, though, then had three successive bogeys and Lawrie's four birdies in five holes at the start of the back nine proved the decisive stretch.

Having also lost a three-shot lead at last year's Spanish Open Foster, who ended up joint fourth, is still seeking his first win since 2003.

Fellow Englishman Kenneth Ferrie, meanwhile, was left to reflect on what a difference a day can make.

After a Tour record-equalling 60 in the third round he closed with a 75 and slumped from joint second to 11th.