Martin Laird boosted hopes of teeing-up in next week’s start to the PGA Tour Play-Off Series with his lowest score of the season on day one of the Wyndham Championship in Greensboro, North Carolina,
Laird took full advantage of the superb scoring conditions on the rain-softened Sedgefield Country Club course in posting a five under par 65.
It left the Scot just two shots behind first round leader Camilo Villegas of Columbia who posted a seven under par 63 to be one clear of the Americans Webb Simpson and William McGirt in the $US 5.3m final regular event of the 2013/14 PGA Tour season event ahead of the start next week of the FedEx Cup Play-Off Series in New Jersey.
Laird said: “The course was playing fantastic but then I have not been here in four years since they changed the greens to Bermuda grass and they were just perfect out there this morning.
Scotland’s Martin Laird boosts his goal of qualifying for the FedEx Cup Play Off Series with a best round of the season in posting a five under par 65 one day one of the $US 5.3m Wyndham Championship. (Photo – www.golfbytourmiss.com)
“The defence of this golf course is the nature of the greens, so I have always enjoyed coming here to Sedgefield given also it is only about an hour-and-a-half drive from where we live.”
Laird arrived at the Wyndham, and an event fellow Scot Sandy Lyle captured in 1986 and 1988, lying 136th on the money list but 11 places shy of qualifying for next week’s Barclay’s Championship and the start of the four-event race for the FedEx Cup.
And he’s boosted his goal of teeing-up in the Garden State with a Greensboro starting round that included an eagle, where he drilled a 183-yard 8-iron at the par five fifth hole to 11 feet and holed the eagle putt, along with four birdies and just one bogey.
Laird’s round is his lowest all season and a best score since shooting a final round 63 to capture last year’s Valero Texas Open.
And has Laird had done at the recent Scottish Open, he again singled out his decision just prior to competing at Royal Aberdeen in again start working with coach, the South African-born and Atlanta-based Mark McCann as instrumental in a turnaround in his form this year.
He said: “I was with Mark for four-and-a-half years before having a couple of years away before we got back together about six weeks ago.
“I had been struggling with my ball-striking a little bit and kind of searching, so I went back with Mark and started working again on things we worked on in the past.
“It just clicked right away and it was like a comfort factor for me, as I had played my best golf working with Mark in the past and I have been building my confidence week-by-week.
“I played well in the Canadian Open (Tied 29th) and then played two weeks at in Reno (Tied 6th) where my confidence was a little higher.
“I also practiced hard last week back home and I’ve come here this week very excited to go.”
Six years ago, Laird came to Greensboro with the goal of retaining his Tour card and at that time lying 163rd and outside the then top-144 who retained their playing card.
However after sharing fourth place behind Swede Carl Pettersson the Scot moved up to 128th on the money list to retain full 2009 season playing rights.
He said: “Since achieving that goal in 2008 I have always liked this golf course as I feel comfortable, and I only hit three to four drivers today whereas I hit a 5-wood about eight to nine times.
“It’s a position golf course where you can get it on the fairway and then pick and choose your spots where you can go at the flags.
“And coming here this week I really want to get into next week’s Barclay’s Championship and back to the Ridgewood course where I left a little disappointed last time.”
