Martin Laird flew home to help his mum celebrate her 60th birthday and he’s flying back tonight (SUN) quietly confident in celebrating a U.S. Open success.
Laird jetted into London on Friday with he and his fiancée renting a small cottage about an hour’s drive from Heathrow.
Martin Laird with Arnold Palmer Invitational winning trophy and now looking to lift the 2011 U.S. Open winning trophy. (Photo PGA Tour)
The cottage is not far from the residences of his two sisters and their respective families, and his mum Anne and father travelled down from Scotland for the family get together.
And Laird believes the timing of his mum’s 60th to be perfect ahead of his third U.S. Open in four years.
“I’ve flown to London for a couple of days because of the big get together for mum,” he said.
“It will be kind of nice as it will give me a couple of days off before flying to Congressional because U.S. Open week and any week of a major is always busy and can drain you.
“So it’s good to be back in the UK and to get away from the golf for a few days before heading back to the States.
“It’s a nice way to unwind before the intensity of a U.S. Open because if I was back home in the States, I would be practicing every day.
“I would have probably worn myself out before heading into a Major Championship week and then when you get to the event everyone wants a piece of you for something or another.
“So that’s why it’s been nice to relax here in London for a few days before heading back over tonight.
“But when I get in tonight (SUN) into Washington I will be ready to go first thing Sunday morning.”
Congressional is hosting the U.S. Open for a first time since 1997 but in the interim period the course known as the ‘Playground of the Presidents’ has hosted the AT & T National on the PGA Tour.
The event was more to Pennsylvania last year for major reworking of Congressional and a course this week that is more like a ‘Pressure test for the Pro’s’.
“I played the course three years ago for the AT & T National and that was before they closed it last year to redo the golf course,” he added.
“I feel now it’s going to be one of the toughest golf courses we’ll play, and I am sure after the USGA got a hold of it, it’s going to be extremely tough.
“But it’s going to be like any U.S. Open as you have to drive the ball very well around Congressional.”
And of the four Majors, and Laird has played in all four, he believes the U.S. Open could very well suit the reigning Arnold Palmer Bay Hill Invitational champ the best.
“I’ve got the type of game where really one Major doesn’t standout as suiting my game more than the other three,” admitted the Scot.
“But after playing Augusta last year, I didn’t feel as though I played great. I finished 20th so the Masters could be the one that suits me the best. You can hit it long there as it’s an advantage for me.
“Augusta just seems to suits my eye but if I drive the ball like I know I can then the U.S. Open the Major where I could really do well at.”
And helping boost the Lower Largo’s aspirations is having playing the final round of April’s U.S. Masters in the company of Tiger Woods.
“You definitely don’t get a bigger occasion than that, with the crowds on the last day of the Masters and Tiger making a run,” he said.
“I thought I handled myself pretty well out there, and I didn’t get phased by being in that grouping.
“I played solidly the last round, not great but I wasn’t phased playing alongside Tiger so if I can handle being out there on a Sunday with Tiger when he’s charging up the leader board that is going to help me when I am in that situation again, and I think I can do well.”
And also in the absence of the 14-time Major winning Woods, the highest world-ranked Scot believes the U.S. Open is now so wide open, he can step through for success.
“With Woods out it’s going to be a wide open U.S. Open, and even he were playing he’s really hard to see him being in contention what with having all those weeks off,” he said.
“There are a lot of guys playing well and anyone in the top-10 in the world stands a pretty good chance.
“But then if I can drive the ball well like I did Memorial, and hopefully putt a little better, there’s no reason why I can’t be up there.”
Laird begins his quest for U.S. Open glory at 1.13pm local time Thursday in the company of American Mark Wilson and Sweden’s Peter Hanson.
