Leonard not daunted by Open slip
Former Open champion Justin Leonard has tried to forget most of what happened on his last visit to Carnoustie but he will try to use it as a motivating factor this week.
Two years after he won the Claret Jug at Troon Leonard was the forgotten man of the play-off which saw Paul Lawrie become Europe’s last major winner in 1999.
Jean Van De Velde’s now infamous collapse down the 18th which caused those four extra holes to be played has had even more coverage.
But no-one seems to recall Leonard being part of the denouement – and that is the way he likes it.
“Fortunately not a whole lot of people remember me. They remember Paul for winning and Jean for what happened on the 18th,”.
“It doesn’t bother me. I have been trying to forget it a little bit myself. This week I’m just trying to pull the good memories out of it to spur me on a little bit.
“I’ve had a few get away and that is certainly one where I had a great chance.”
Leonard, who carded two pars and two bogeys over the extra holes as Lawrie won by three strokes, added: “I don’t know if in the play-off if I could have done things a whole lot differently.
“But I have a lot of good memories and I enjoy playing the golf course. It is a little more manageable this year but I had a good week here eight years ago.”
There are suites in the Carnoustie hotel named after both Lawrie and Van De Velde but not Leonard.
“I don’t want one naming after me,” he admitted.
“I don’t deserve one after 1999. But maybe after this week...”
