Sadly, Sandy Lyle now seems certain to be the lone Scot for a fourth occasion in the past six years heading into next week’s Masters after fellow Scots Russell Knox and Martin Laird were blown off course in the Lone Star State.
Knox and Laird need to win the Valero Texas Open to secure the final invitation into the 87th hosting of the Masters however Knox, with scores of 69 and 76 for a one-over tally, and Laird well down the board despite a last hole eagle, will miss the cut in the £stg 7.2m event when the second round play in the weather-affected event officially ends later today (Saturday) US local time.
Finishing in style 🦅
Martin Laird holes out for eagle @ValeroTXOpen. pic.twitter.com/V8QXsAiZDy
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) March 31, 2023
Some three-and-a-half hours was lost due to fog at the start of play on Thursday meaning the likes of Knox and Laird did not end their second round to around 3pm local time Friday (local time)
Knox had been one-under through 12 holes of his first round and Laird one-over after 10 holes when poor light halted play on Thursday, and they returned for Knox to sign for a three-under 69 to be officially inside the top-30 while Laird shot a 73.
But after a short luncheon break, it turned horribly pear-shaped for both Scots.
Knox dropped four shots over the first eight holes of his second round before a first birdie in holing a 12-footer at the ninth but then after a trio of pars, Knox fell outside the of the projected cut of one-over, and dropping to four-over, with a dropped shot at the par-3 14th on route to his eventual one-over 36-hole tally.
Laird was not about to wait around to be officially advised he’d missed the Texas Open weekend rounds eventually signing for second round five-over 77, that included holed a remarkable 80-yard chip-in shot for eagle ‘3’ at the last for his six-over tally.
A decade ago, Laird brushed aside Rory McIlroy in posting a Texas Open closing score of 63 for a two-shot victory that earned the Scot the last invitation into the Masters.
American Patrick Rodgers, with scores of 66 and 67, was an 11-under tally and an early four-shot lead.
He said: “I am really proud that the work I have been putting in week-in and week-out on my iron play is finally paying off.
“It hasn’t been paying off but now it is and I am happy but then we’re only halfway done, and especially around this golf course a lot can happen”.
