Orlando, FL …
Lone Scot Martin Laird was delighted to make it eight full four rounds from his eight appearances at the Arnold Palmer Invitational in Orlando.
Laird headed into the second round well down the board sharing 103rd place with a five under par 77 but was chuffed to head to lunch on day two of the event signing four a 68 for a 36-hole at one over par.
The effort ensured Laird, who was handed the trophy by the late Arnold Palmer in only second appearance in 2011, has kept his run alive of never missing a Bay Hill cut.
“It was a good fight back today and anytime you shoot four-under around here is always a good score,” he said.
Martin Laird with Arnold Palmer Invitational winning trophy and now looking to lift the 2011 U.S. Open winning trophy. (Photo PGA Tour)
“The course is playing like a Sunday at a major right now with the greens extremely firm and fast, and with little wind out there.
“It was blowing pretty strong when I was out there on Thursday afternoon so to walk off today with a 68 is sure going to make lunch taste that much nicer.”
Laird moved back to four over when he holed a 25-footer for birdie at the fourth and then picked-up another birdie when he got up-and-down from greenside bunker from some 40-foot to then hole a nine-foot birdie.
He dropped his only shot in missing the green back right at the par four 10th hole and taking three shots to get down from 42-feet before completing his last seven holes in three under par.
The pick of the three birdies being his 132-yard approach shot into the last where he put his second to just six feet and duly rolled-in the birdie.
“While you want to make the cut in every tournament you play, it’s particularly satisfying to stand here to know that I still have not missed a cut in each time I have played here at Bay Hill,” he said.
“There is just something about this place I like and clearly my record supports that and given the scores are not that low this year, you can have a good weekend and make a really big move.
“The good thing also is that everything seems to be good about my game but if you were to look at my stats this year, I have been putting extremely good.
“It’s pretty much already my most consistent season with the putter while I am driving the ball a little straighter than last year.”
