Martin Laird produced his lowest Quail Hollow opening round posting a three under par 69 on day one of the Wells Fargo Championship.
The Scot capped his round landing a 250-yard 5-wood shot to seven feet for eagle at the par five, 15th that he was playing as his sixth and moments after birding the 14th.
Laird also managed to birdie his third and ninth holes over his outward nine and with his only bogeys coming at his eighth and final holes.
And while he was rushing to take the 45-minute drive home to his ‘summer’ residence Laird was pleased with his effort after missing the halfway cut in his past three events.
“There was a lot of good signs out there today and while I got off to a good start, I also would have liked to finish a little better,” he said.
“However three under par in that wind we had this afternoon, and on a tough course, is a good start and something now to build on.”
The effort was Laird’s best start in six straight appearances on the Charlotte course and also the first occasion he’s broken 70 on day one of the event and he best finish is T26th two years ago.
“I do know the golf course well and I even come down here and play it when we’re living here in the summer, and besides it is one of my favourite venues all year,” he added.
“I just feel comfortable playing here but then I’m looking forward to getting back home as I have to get up at 5am and be back down here for my 8.10am second round tee time.”
And Laird is delighted as well with the changes to the course, not only replacing all 18 greens with Bermuda grass, but changes to the ‘Green Mile’, the three hole closing stretch.
“I was kind of worried when I heard they were planning changes ahead of the 2017 PGA Championship but having seen them and now played them in competition I think the closing three holes are now more visually attractive,” he said.
“As well, the work they’ve done in changing the grass on all the greens is good, so I like what they’ve done here.”
Laird heads into the second round of the $US 6.9m event sharing the leading British and European honours with the Major winning trio of Justin Rose, Rory McIlroy and Martin Kaymer.
Kaymer capped his round with back-to-back eagles in when he holed a 17 foot putt at the par five, seventh hole and then holed-out from 66 yards at the next, the par four eighth hole.
Double major winning Angel Cabrera heads the field by one shot in shooting a six under par 66 and the Argentinean’s best round all season.
