Martin Laird all set for a trailblazing season after a strong finish at Hyundai Tournament of Champions
Scotsman Martin Laird had another close encounter with victory at the season-opener Hyundai Tournament of Champions at the scenic Plantation Course at Kapalua, Hawaii, when he finished three shots behind the top-ranked American, Steve Stricker.
Laird started off the final round on Monday, January 9, and quickly jolted in contention, birdying three consecutive holes on the front.
Being the only player in the field who laid a serious challenge to Stricker’s five-stroke lead, Laird stumbled on bogeys at par-three, 8th and par-four, 10th.
Laird fell back as Stricker claimed his lead on the back nine but kept toiling in the rest of the course.
Although he was able to sink five birdies before calling it a day, Stricker was miles ahead of the 29-year-old Scotsman.
Laird settled for an outright second place, bagging the runner-up cheque of the total purse of $5.6-million.
"I think probably the most underrated player in the world is Steve Stricker," Laird said after closing his round for six-under, 67 and an aggregate score of 20-under, 272.
His strong finish at the season-starter will surely help him build up the momentum to qualify for a berth at the Ryder Cup this year.
Laird said, “We were talking about that the other day with someone. When I say to people that I'm hoping to make The Ryder Cup Team, they kind of say to me, oh, yeah, you'll make it. I don't think a lot of people realize just how hard?? I could have a great year this year and still not make the team”.
Laird, who hails from Glasgow Scotland, is a graduate of Colorado State University and has played predominantly on the PGA Tour after turning professional in 2004.
He started off his professional career on the Nationwide Tour and qualified for the PGA Tour in 2006.
His first PGA Tour victory came in the year 2009, when he managed to surge past the three-man Playoff at the Justin Timberlake Shriners Hospitals for Children Open to bag his maiden tour title.
Laird played amazing golf in the previous year, managing to break into the top-50 on the Official World Golf Rankings (OWGR).
He finished for an impressive joint 3rd at waste Management Phoenix Open in February and a strong joint 10th at the WGC-Cadillac Championship in the next month.
He finished for another strong joint 5th at Transitions Championship to surge to the top-40 on the OWGR.
In March 2011, Laird clinched one of the most coveted titles of his career, the Arnold Palmer Invitational, with a two-stroke lead over the rampaging PGA Tour players, Spencer Levin, Steve Marino, and Bubba Watson who finished another two shots behind the leaders.
An impressive start right at the beginning of the season might prove to be a good omen for the struggling Scotsman as he strives to carve history in his early career.
Tags: