Scotland’s Martin Laird has just six weeks remaining this year to be assured of contesting next April’s U.S. Masters at Augusta National.
The North Carolina-based Laird, who earlier this year was the highest world ranked Scottish born golfer, has slipped outside of the top 50 in the world rankings for the first time in two years.
Martin Laird staring at ending his season outside the top-50. (Photo – Fran Caffrey/www.golffile.ie)
Laird, 29 is now ranked 51st in the world and looks set to plummet even further given he is not contesting any further events this year.
The Scot has long been sitting golf’s elite since first breaking into the top 50 in the last week of October, 2010 and then rising to a career high of 21st following his victory in the 2011 Arnold Palmer Invitational at Bay Hill.
However a check of the World Rankings this week shows Laird lying 51st while Aberdeen’s Paul Lawrie is the best ranked Scot at No. 27 in the world.
A top-30 finish on the PGA Tour money-list would have been another avenue for Laird to be in the field for the opening major of the 2013 season.
But, despite amassing earnings of close to $2.2 million this year, he’s currently lying 36th on that and, through the projected rankings, is expected to finish even lower.
Even though his season finished in Malaysia a fortnight ago, Laird still has time to secure a third successive Masters appearance, having tied for 20th on his Augusta debut in 2011.
The Scot had played the last round of the 2011 Masters in the company of Tiger Woods as the 14-time Major winner made a charge at eventual winner, Charl Schwartzel.
Howevere if Laird should not be inside the top-50 by year’s end he still has to late March to earn an invitation.
Of course, if Laird should win a third PGA event he would automatically qualify for the Masters.
After making his first appearance at Augusta for eight years, when he finished 24th, Lawrie has already secured his return next April, when he will be joined by Sandy Lyle as he celebrates the 25th anniversary of his win.
