Phoenix, AZ …
Martin Laird singled out a lengthy pre-tournament session with his coach as pivotal to producing a ‘best round of the year’ on day one of the Phoenix Open in Arizona.
Laird, who resides some 15-minutes from the TPC Scottsdale course, was two-over par after five holes but regrouped superbly to sign for a three-under par 68.
Scot Martin Laird speaks to SKY after his round of a three-underr par 68.
The effort handed the Scot an early clubhouse share of seventh place and just two shots adrift of the leading all-American trio of Rickie Fowler, Bryson De Chambeau and Billy Horschel.
In-form World No. 2 Jon Rahm is again in contention posting a four-under par 67.
Laird began from the 10th hole but bogeyed the 13th and 14th holes before parring the infamous ‘Coliseum’ par-3 16th hole and then beginning his fightback with three birdies in succession from the 17th or his eighth hole
Laird hooked-up early in the week with coach, Mark McCain and simply went back to basics with the Scot finding nine of 14 fairways and then 13 of 18 greens in regulation.
“Ball-striking wise that is my best round of the year and it was nothing to do with changing anything in my bag, as it was all about my swing,” said Laird.
“I have just been struggling with my swing the last couple of weeks and my coach came out and we have been working on my game since the start of the week.
“We just went back to basics as I was just getting too complicated and over-thinking everything the last few weeks.
“So, I started driving the ball really well and my iron play is so much better plus there is a bit of feeling good just playing this golf course.
“I have played here well before posting some good results and while I don’t play here outside of tournament week, I do use the practice facilities here.”
In contrast, fellow US-based Scot Russell Knox struggled with just one birdie in a three-over par 74.
And Knox’s only birdie was at the 16th where he delighted those in the four-storey stadium-enclosed hole by landing his tee shot to just five-feet and holing the putt.
But what hurt the most was putting a 4-wood hybrid club second shot into the water at the hole before for one of four bogeys on his card.
“I was just a weird day as I started with a 3-putt and then whipped my second shot into the water at 15 after a really good drive,” said Knox.
“But then I had a good birdie on 16 that pleased the crowd and that’s a hole I have played about seven or eight times and managed to birdie it three times.
“Though there was a sloppy bogey on one and, as I said, just a weird day as I didn’t hole any putts and managed to tidy-up there near the end.”
