US-based Scot Martin Laird is on target for a second top-10 in three events in the new 2016/17 wraparound PGA Tour season heading to the final round of the OHL Mayakoba Classic in Mexico.
Laird, who was eighth in the recent Safeway Open, posted six birdies and just one in a five under par 66 on day three of the event billed as ‘Mexico’s Major’.
It put the Scot into a share of 10th place and six shots behind American Gary Woodland with a round to play on the Playa Del Camen course.
And here with thanks to the PGA Tour is Laird’s comments post his third round.
Q. Top-10 early in this new season, position for potentially another one and better here this week. How important is it for you after sort of last year’s start to get off to a quicker start in the FedExCup and fall series?
MARTIN LAIRD: Yeah, it’s always nice to get off to a quick start, especially when you’ve had a couple months off or whatever. Then you can relax and come out next year and not be worried about being whatever points behind. I know it’s still early, but I think when you sit for a couple months and know what your position is is probably a little more uncomfortable than when you’re getting to play the next week. My game’s in good shape. I’ve been playing well for a while now. Yeah, it’s always fun to be playing well.
Q. It clicked in obviously toward the back of last season when you got those results in Canada and whatnot and went through. Have you been able to sort of ride that all of way through this calendar year as well?
MARTIN LAIRD: Yeah. As you said, like middle of summer I kind of ended, late summer I kind of figured something out. My coach and I kind of figured something out in my swing and kind of just clicked then. I’ve been hitting it nicely since then. My whole game feels good. I’ve been putting pretty well. It’s nice, as I said, when everything feels pretty solid. But yeah, I would say definitely end of the summer, a little swing thing we figured out and since then I’ve just been kind of letting it go and riding the wave, so to speak.
Q. Does the mindset change tomorrow when you’re inside the top-10, there’s not many guys in front of you but the guy in front is 6, 7 8 in front. Do you have to have a crack at him or do you just have to do your best and hope he comes back?
MARTIN LAIRD: Yeah, I’m not going to change my mindset. I’ve been playing the course this week the way I think I can score the best. He’s so far ahead, the way he’s playing, he’s 7. Ahead, even if he just plays decent tomorrow and just a couple under, that means I’d have to shoot 9, 10 under to try and catch him.
So I’m not worried about anyone else. As I said, the way I’ve been playing the course this week’s been working out well and feel like it’s the best game plan for me. Continue that tomorrow. Even though I shot 5 under, I felt like I left a couple out there. So tidy up a couple things and if I can go out tomorrow and shoot 5 under again or better or whatever, then see where I finish. But you can’t really pay attention. Gary’s obviously playing excellent, he’s 20 under with holes to go, so I can’t worry about him.
Q. And we said at the start you’ll get yourself a nice solid base of points heading towards Christmas?
MARTIN LAIRD: Exactly. I’m just looking to do the same. As I said, I feel like I’ve got my game plan for this course and it’s been working well the first three rounds and stick with it for round 4 and who knows, make a couple more putts or something like that and I can maybe, as you say, if not catch him but have a nice finish. This is my last event of the year so it would be a nice way to end the season for me. Shouldn’t say the season, end the year and have a break.
