Riviera County Club, Pacific Palisades ….
Martin Laird again passed a Hollywood golfing sceen test and delighting in climbing the steep stairs at the back of the 18th green trailing then just two shots off the lead on day one of the Genesis Open at Riviera.
Laird managed five birdies and dropped just two shots in a three-under par 68 and trailing just adrift of the American duo of Tony Finau and Patrick Cantlay, who like Laird, were out in the afternoon posting rounds of 67.
The Scot’s effort on a golf course with such a steep history of Hollywood movie stars for members handed Laird an eventual share of sixth place.
Among those sharing the lead in the $US 7.2m event in Sam Saunders and the grandson of the late, great Arnold Palmer.
The sun shines as Martin Laird makes his way up the staircase at the back of 18 and right behind Italy’s Francesco Molinair
Laird’s effort continues an impressive mastering of the course that played host to the 1995 PGA Championship including posting a final round 66 a year ago to share seventh place.
“Three-under is a great start and pretty much anything under par is always pretty good around Riviera,” said Laird.
“So, really any score in the 60s is really good and I played really nicely today as tee-to-green I hit it very solid, and while I missed a few shortish putt, but then I also made a few nice 15-25 footers.”
The standout of those that Laird holed included sinking a 27-footer for birdie at the seventh and then a 23-foot birdie at the next.
Laird first moved to three-under in two-putting the par-5 11th hole and while dropping a shot at 13 the Scot laid-up 113-yards out at the par-5 17th to land his third to 16-feet and hole a fifth birdie and get back to three-under for his round.
The 17th had been where, earlier in the day, Tiger Woods also had birdied but where playing partner, Rory McIlroy ‘cooked’ his approach landing it in rough behind the green and ‘duffing’ his chip and horribly three-putting for bogey.
Laird came to last letting his 17-foot birdie putt slip by the hole by some four-feet and with the 35-year calmly saving par.
“The defence of this golf course is the greens and they can be very tricky, so you have to make the putts, so to hole that one at the last was also nice,” he said.
“The course itself is one of the hardest we play on the Tour and that is reflected in four-under leading.
“It’s just good to get off to a good start and if I can follow-up this round with three more like this, I should be in a good spot.”
The only discomfort for Laird was needing to be escorted after his round for a random drugs test within the depths of the stunning Riviera clubhouse.
And as Laird headed for the privacy of the test he passed wonderful photographs of some of the female greats of Hollywood, and given the Tour has taken over the Ladies locker room as it’s scoring area.
Those screen stars included Katherine Hepburn, Elizabeth Taylor, Mary Pickford and Rita Hayworth.
