Five things you need to know about Thriston Lawrence
Thriston Lawrence had a one-shot advantage in the last nine holes on Sunday, and he was astonished for his first time competing in an event of this magnitude. After
By Staff
Written by Staff @PGATOUR
Thriston Lawrence held one-shot lead into the open’s last nine holes on on Sunday and did a great job for his first time competing in an important. After finishing at 4-under-32 on the front nine and a total of eight pars, he racked up eight birdies and a single bogey on Troon’s tricky inward half. The final round of 68 put Troon at a score of 6-under 278, which was three shots ahead of the winner Xander Schauffele.
“I think I did pretty well out there,” Lawrence stated in the aftermath of his tournament. “I didn’t actually put myself under the pressure that some people are supposed to. I just looked at it as a normal Sunday of a normal golf tournament. Yes, it is The Open, it is a bigger stage. But being in that moment, I felt so calm. It felt like a normal Sunday, me trying to win a golf tournament, trying to be creative, and I managed to accomplish that. So very proud of myself.”
A stunning par saving on 18 gave Lawrence the honor of a fourth-place performance, one that could have major implications for his fellow South African. He will be able to compete in the next Open and also getting his very first Masters invitation and improved his odds of being on next year’s Presidents Cup team. He also achieved sufficient Non-Tour member FedExCup points (325) to be eligible for a special temporary membership for the PGA TOUR for the remainder of 2024. In addition, he set himself in the position of getting his TOUR card for 2025 in addition.
Lawrence has moved up to fifth place at the top of the DP Tour’s Race to Dubai standings with his fourth-place finishing at Troon. He is also second in the standings for the entire season among players who aren’t exempt from playing on the PGA TOUR. The top 10 players in the Race to Dubai at season’s close who are not exempt from the TOUR will be able to earn the PGA TOUR cards for 2025.
These are the five most important things you need to be aware of Thriston Lawrence following his life-changing performance at The Open:
1. Lawrence is a 27-year-old player from Kempton Park, South Africa. He made the switch to professional cricket as a teenager in 2014 after taking home the South African Amateur in both 2013 and 2014, aswell being his 2014 Lytham Trophy. He was a member of the MENA Tour in 2015 and the Challenge Tour in 2016. He was awarded the MENA Tour Order of Merit in 2015 and clinched his first major title as a professional during the 2015 Ras Al Khaimah Classic, by playing a five-man tournament together with the former Open winner Darren Clarke. Lawrence was a participant for the Big Easy Tour in 2018 getting his badge for the 2020-20 Sunshine Tour season. He was the winner of the first Sunshine Tour event in 2019 at the Vodacom Origins of Golf event in Stellenbosch.
2. Lawrence is ranked 98th on the planet. He was able to qualify to play in this year’s Open due to his position one of the top 30 players during the 2023 Race to Dubai, finishing 19th on the ranking of the DP World Tour’s season-long series due to two wins. He has won four times in the DP World Tour. Two of his wins came in his home of South Africa, at the 2021 Joburg Open and 2022 South African Open. He also was the winner of his 2022 Omega European Masters and 2023 BMW International Open.
He was the first South African to win the Sir Henry Cotton Rookie of the Year Award.
3. Lawrence was made an DP World Tour member with his win in the latter part of 2021 in Joburg Open. Joburg Open in his native South Africa, an event which is sanctioned by the Sunshine Tour. The event was cut down to 36 holes following discovering a novel COVID variant, as well as inclement weather. Lawrence had reclaimed an advantage of four shots by scoring two 65s in the opening two rounds. The victory earned him entry in the DP World Tour.
4. Lawrence is an avid fisherman who has an Instagram account dedicated to that pursuit (@golfergonefishing).
5. PGA TOUR fans may see him more often in the months ahead and over the years. The top 10 winners of Race to Dubai Race to Dubai who are not yet exempt from the TOUR will be eligible to earn PGA TOUR cards for 2025. With five top-10 finishes this season, Lawrence is 15th in the Race to Dubai and is ranked 9th among players who do not have TOUR status. Lawrence’s performance this week is bound to propel him higher up the rankings. This could also lead to an eventual Presidents Cup bid. He started the week 23rd in the international team’s standings, but he could also experience an additional huge leap within the squad.
With the ten PGA TOUR cards available via the Race to Dubai Rankings in partnership with Rolex for the top finishers who aren’t already exempt, Lawrence will hope to improve his game by becoming an active dual member. Five top tens have been recorded in the first half of this season in the DP World Tour, the 27-year-old is 15th in the overall standings throughout the season. In the lead-up to The Open, he was ninth on the list of players who were not exempt from the PGA TOUR, so with the possibility of scoring big points during the final major event of the season, he’ll be hoping to boost his chances to be a stateside player by playing a solid final course in Ayrshire.
Thriston Lawrence playing on the green of the closing round of the Open Championship 152nd at Royal Troon. (Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)