A slimline Paul Lawrie yesterday declared himself a chocolate-free zone for the run-up to a return to the scene of his greatest triumph in this year's Open Championship at Carnoustie.

If you are what you eat, then the 38-year-old, who was once Mars bars and Milky Ways is now back down to earth as apples and oranges and ready to march back to the top on a healthy stomach.

"I like my chocolate but haven't had any for six or seven weeks and nor have I had ice cream," he said proudly in Edinburgh having signed an extended agreement with sponsors Aberdeen Asset Management.

"My snacks are now fruit mid-morning and afternoon. It's been difficult but I think you have to make sacrifices if you are to get to the top of your game."

Lawrie, 38, whose Open win at Carnoustie in 1999 was the last major championship to have been won by a European, is down to 14st 5lb, which he reckons is his fighting-fit weight, and that represents a loss of more than a stone since November.

A good diet has played its part, but the weight loss is also down to regular gym sessions under the instruction of Murray Carnie, a family friend who is PE teacher at Mintlaw Academy.

"I'm feeling fantastic and raring to go," said Lawrie, who returns to action next week in Thailand at the Johnnie Walker Classic in a bid to improve his standing in the world rankings at No.195, a far cry from his halcyon says of seven years ago when he was flying high as Colin Montgomerie's Ryder Cup partner.

Lawrie, a five-time European Tour winner, is clearly going to be in the spotlight between now and July as his play-off win at Carnoustie from 10 shots adrift at the start of the final round is recalled along with the implosion of Jean Van de Velde, who took 7 at the last when a 6 would have done.

"It would be nice to make this year no different to any other," said Lawrie, who has switched to Taylor Made clubs this year, "but obviously it is special. It is going to be a big year, but I will try to play as normal and as hard as ever and give it the focus it deserves."

With many Scandinavian golfers relocating closer to the Tour action, Lawrie is one of the most northern-based golfers on the European Tour, and the Open will give him some respite and a rare home advantage.

"It's great when you have a major so close to your house, and I am going to stay at home like I did last time. My boys Craig and Michael are old enough to come this time so that will be special for them too," he said.

"I have been down a few times and the course is shaping up well. It's difficult to tell now what it's going to be like in July, but I can't see it turning out like it was last time with such heavy rough. The course is so good it doesn't really need that.

"The way the course is set up, however, is out of any of the players' hands. You play with what's there."

Lawrie reckons that despite his lowly ranking, he is striking the ball better than ever, but has lost his way in scoring, a facet of his game he believes is returning under the guidance of coach Adam Hunter and the sports psychologist, Hugh Mantle.

"In the first two weeks of my season, I putted extremely well and I don't foresee a problem there," he said.

A figure that has definitely improved since then is the estimated wealth of his sponsors from less than $40bn in 2000, when Lawrie was signed, up to a global $150bn today.

Martin Gilbert, the chief executive, stopped short giving Lawrie the full credit for that, but did remark that his place as Lawrie's amateur partner in the Dunhill Links Championship was probably secure.