Paul Lawrie Takes One-Shot Lead into Final Round of Portugal Legends Championship

• Paul Lawrie leads the Portugal Legends Championship after 36 holes.
• Johan Edfors and Jean Hugo are one shot back.
• Phillip Archer set a new course record at Pinheirinho.

Paul Lawrie added a bogey-free 67 to his opening 66 to take the outright lead at the inaugural Portugal Legends Championship on Saturday. The Scot moved to 11-under as he chases a first Staysure Legends Tour title since 2022.

The 1999 Open champion had shared the first-round lead with Scott Drummond and Jean Hugo. Hugo and Johan Edfors are now a shot behind on 10-under, both have won on tour this season. Mikael Lundberg, Keith Horne and former BMW PGA champion Simon Khan sit at 8-under. English pair Robert Coles and Greg Owen are on 7-under.

“I probably played better today, tee to green,” said Lawrie. “The ball striking was good and it’s two good scores for 11-under. Golfers are strange people – you feel it’s a good score, but you still feel it should be better. It’s a good score but I left a few out there. It’s good to feel like that – you shouldn’t feel you got everything you wanted. It makes sure you go out tomorrow hungry to get those back.”

Putting changes with his nephew

Lawrie has played only a handful of competitive rounds this season. He has been working on his putting with his nephew Sean Lawrie, a qualified PGA Professional.

“He spotted that it was a little wristy,” said Lawrie. “I need to use my body more and my wrists less. The ball was also too far forward, so I’ve been working on that, too. It’s only been a couple of weeks, so it’s difficult to put into practice.”

“You’re trying to shoot as many birdies as you can, play the course properly and not be silly, and not take on things you don’t need to,” Lawrie said of his plan for Sunday. “I’ve kept the ball in play really well the first two days. If I can keep doing what I’m doing, hopefully I can post a number that’s good enough.”

Edfors and Hugo in the final group

Edfors has two bogey-free 67s to his name. The three-time DP World Tour winner has already won twice in his first full Legends Tour season, at the OFX Irish Legends at Carton House and at the European Legends Cup at Fontanals.

“I played solid again today and gave myself a lot of chances,” said Edfors. “Fortunately I holed a couple of putts on the back nine and it’s always nice to finish birdie, birdie. Two bogey-free rounds doesn’t happen very often for me, so hopefully I can have another one tomorrow.”

Hugo, who won his first Legends Tour title in Beijing earlier this month, completes the final three-ball after a 68. The South African’s first professional event was the 1999 Open at Carnoustie, where Lawrie won on home soil.

Order of Merit race and a course record

The week also matters for the Road to Cambodia Order of Merit. Edfors and Lundberg, who won the Staysure English Legends at Chart Hills in August, are both chasing standings leader Stephen Gallacher. Gallacher shot a 69 on Saturday and is tied ninth.

The low round of the day was Phillip Archer’s 65, a new course record at the Jorge Santana da Silva layout. Archer made eight birdies and moved into the top 10.

The final round starts on Sunday morning, and entry is free for spectators.

Course record for Archer 🔥 Phillip Archer fires a brilliant seven-under 65 at Pinheirinho Comporta to set a new course record. #StaysureLegendsTour #PortugalLegendsChampionship https://t.co/bCHsOi1G6q

— Legends Tour (@euLegendsTour) October 31, 2026

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