Scotland’s Martin Laird is now only one round away from joining three other Scots who will tee up in this year’s Masters.

Laird last played in the Masters when he captured the final PGA Tour event for entry into Augusta and that was the 2013 Valero Texas Open.

However the current World No. 170 indicated he felt like the old man in Saturday’s final group given the 32-year-old played alongside a pair of 21-year old’s.

Laird, who is a member of the Estancia Golf Club in suburban Phoenix, may have been the first to hit on most holes as the youngsters blew tee shots past him, but he was able to extend his lead at the Phoenix Open.

“I felt like an old man in the group,” Laird said. “It’s been a long time since I have been the first one hitting every shot every hole.”

The third round saw Laird take a three-shot lead entering the final round at TPC Scottsdale and moving to 13-under par and with Japan’s Hideki Matsuyama and the Americans Zach Johnson and Brooks Koepka tied in second.

Martin Laird just one round away from earning a Masters invitation. (Photo – www.pgatour.com)

He’ll play alongside two more youngsters in the final round, as Matsuyama, 22, and Koepka, 24, will join him in the final threesome.

Laird may have been in Scotland, but is something of a local, as he owns a house in the Phoenix area.

He is seeking his fourth PGA TOUR victory, and first since the 2013 Valero Texas Open. He finished third in his first start of the season at the Frys.com Open.

He said that was, “the first tournament in a while where I really felt like I kind of let one go. I had a great chance to win and then didn’t play … great on the weekend.”

TPC Scottsdale’s closing stretch – including the island-green par-5 15th, short par-3 16th and driveable par-4 17th – can lead to quick changes on the leader board, though.

“The tournament is not over until you get to that stretch,” Johnson said.