La Quinta, CA …
Martin Laird headed into a 10th season in the pro ranks asking his Scottish fan base to understand representing Europe in the Ryder Cup in important.
Laird, 35 is yet to put himself in position to qualify for a Ryder Cup but then that goal could be further from reach after changes announced to qualifying earlier last week by the European Tour.
The Tour, and whether or not it is a reaction to Europe losing last year’s Ryder Cup at Hazeltine, introduced the most widespread amendments ever to qualifying for the biennial event.
What will concern Laird’s fellow European-born PGA Tour players is the decision not to award Ryder Cup qualifying points to any Tour member competing the same week as any of the Tour’s Rolex Series tournaments.
As well, there is the rule that if players such as Laird do not join the European Tour post the 2018 Ryder Cup they will be then ineligible to be appointed either a vice-captain or captain of any future European side.
Martin Laird asks his Scottish fan base to understand the Ryder Cup remains important in his career. (Photo – www.golfbytourmiss.com)
Of course, Laird would dearly love to represent Europe in a Ryder Cup but nowadays the three-time PGA Tour winner stressed to his Scotland support base his priorities are centred closer to home.
He said: “People think that I don’t care about the Ryder Cup but that is not true.
“The thing is my wife and I have two young kids and I can’t put crisscrossing back and forward to Europe and striving to qualify for the Ryder Cup above them and no, I don’t.
“I took out affiliate membership of the European Tour a few years ago with the Ryder Cup in mind but the Tour then stopped that practice.
“The thing is that if you are not into the four Majors or the WGC events it is a big commitment to travel the world playing both Tour’s with the goal of trying to make the European Ryder Cup team.
“So to qualify for the Ryder Cup you do need to be among the top-50 on the World Rankings as it’s by playing in the four Majors and being eligible to compete in the WGC events that clears the path into a European Ryder Cup team.
“I do understand why the Tour made the changes they’ve made but whether they are right or wrong I’m not going to say.
“But what I want people to understand is that I would love to experience playing for Europe in a Ryder Cup but for me it’s all about my priorities.
“Yes, the Ryder Cup is high up there but being home with my wife and two children spending quality time with them at present is a bigger priority.”
The current World No. 150th ranked Laird is not exempt into any of this year’s Majors but he’s determined to correct that in the weeks and months ahead.
He said: “I’m coming off a decent break over the Christmas period but I’m now looking forward to getting back to work, so I am ready to go.
“I’ve been practicing at home for a month since coming here to La Quinta, so it’s nice now to get a scorecard back into the pocket.
“Everything in the bag is pretty much the same as last year with just the one change and that is take out my 3-iron and replace it with an extra wedge, a gap-wedge.
“I did this as there was a 20-yard gap between my 9-iron and pitching wedge, so that should take care of that and with my gaps between my irons down to about just 12 yards which is nice.”
It will be four years in April since Laird last won on Tour and that was in keeping Rory McIlroy at arm’s reach to capture the 2013 Valero Texas Open that earned Laird a place in the following week’s Masters.
He said: “My big goal this year is just to be consistent as the second half of last year was one of my most consistent periods for a long while.
“So, the goal heading into 2017 is stay consistent but also try and take better advantage of my positions over the weekend.
“All aspects of my game do feel as though they’re better so I’ll just keep chipping away and it will all come around.”
