Peter Lawrie emerged from the shadow of Padraig Harrington, Paul McGinley and Darren Clarke when he became the first Irishman to win the Rookie of the Year Award.

The Dubliner, 29, took the Sir Henry Cotton award for his brilliant debut performance on the European Tour this season.

Now he's ready to blaze a trail to stardom after achieving a feat that was beyond the Big Three of Irish golf.

He joked: "It's nice to get one up on the lads ­ this is a trophy they won't get another chance of winning!

"Seriously, though, this is a great accolade and when you look at the great players who have won it in the past, it makes me feel very proud."

Lawrie finished 56th in the Volvo Order of Merit after banking a massive ¤422,816.

The highlight of his season came at the Canarias Open de Espana where lost in a sudden death play-off with Sweden's Peter Hedblom and eventual champion, Kenneth Ferrie of England.

But winnings of ¤ 151,995 in Spain guaranteed his card for next season and gave him the confidence to play his best golf.

He said: "It was after the Canaries result that I started thinking of the Rookie of the Year award.

"I looked at the list of past winners and was amazed to discover that no Irishman had ever won it, especially when you think of how well people like Darren Clarke and Padraig Harrington played early in their careers on The European Tour."

Lawrie has spent five years battling his way to his current position and he has vowed to work even harder next year to stay there.

He said: "Not a lot is going to change. I'll probably play fewer events next year but if anything I will be practising even harder."

Lawrie graduated to the European Tour through the Challenge Tour, finishing fourth in the Rankings at the end of 2002 thanks to his win in the Challenge Tour Grand Final in France.

He also spent one year on the Asian PGA Tour and three seasons on the Challenge Tour before achieving his goal.

Including his play-off defeat, Lawrie notched six top 20 finishes to qualify for the season-ending Volvo Masters Andalucia, where he finished tied 42nd.

He added: "It's taken me about five years of trying to reach this level and I definitely have to thank the Challenge Tour for helping me prepare for life on The European Tour.

"After three years of learning about 72 hole competition and the constant travelling around Europe, I felt ready to compete when I finally got onto the Tour.

"A combination of factors have helped ­ my girlfriend, Philipa, my coach, Brendan McDaid at Rathsallagh, Aidan Moran, the Sports Psychologist at University College, Dublin, and my parents. They have all been incredibly supportive."

Recognised as one of the hardest working players on the tour, Lawrie will continue to work with McDaid at Rathsallagh.

He said: "My long game has improved so much working with Brendan. But I need to hit more fairways in regulation and that's something I plan to get a grip on."

As Rookie on the Year, the spotlight will be on Lawrie now but the player is determined to ignore the pressure.

He said: "That's other people's expectations rather than my own. So it doesn't bother me. I'm only worried about what I think."

Lawrie will marry his fiancée Philipa Hudson on December 6. But after a honeymoon in New York and Antigua he plans to get back into action when the Tour visits South Africa in January.

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© Brian Keogh 2003

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