Scot Martin Laird saw a hopeful top-20 finish disappear into the drink after putting two balls into the water at the 71st hole of the Players Championship at Ponte Vedra in Florida.
Laird was lying at four-under for his round and six-under for the $25m flagship tournament when he doubled the par-5 11th but managed to regain the two dropped shots with birdies at 14 and the 16th.
Disaster then struck with the Denver-based Scot putting two balls into the water at the infamous par-3 island green 17th, firstly in being long and then in playing a third he was shot ahead of finally landing his fifth on the putting surface ahead of two putts for a horror quadruple bogey ‘7’.
Martin Laird puts two balls into the drink at the infamous par-3 17th at TPC Sawgrass. (Image – PGAT)
Then to compound the hurt Laird then three-putted the last in a round of 73 and tumbled further down the board to be just inside the top-60 at two-under when the leaders were making their way to the first tee.
It was Laird’s 13th appearance in the Tour’s flagship event but just a sixth occasion the Scot’s played all four rounds with easily a best showing of joint runner-up in 2012.
Laird’s effort and Bob MacIntyre missing the Players lengthens the chance of a Scot tee-up in the April 11th commencing Masters.
Just three PGA Tour events remain, the first two to be inside the top-50 on the World Rankings and the third, the April 4th starting Valero Texas Open where the winner only, and not otherwise exempt, will secure the last Augusta tee-time.
Laird did just that 11-years ago by denying Rory McIlroy to win in San Antonio and arriving late Sunday night into Augusta, and bunking down for the night in the house rented by Sandy Lyle.
Lyle will at the Masters but this year will be a first occasion since 1980 the now 66-year-old will not be teeing-up.
