Martin Laird
Encyclopedia
Martin Laird is a Scottish
professional golfer
, playing on the PGA Tour
. He has won two PGA Tour events in his career, most notably the Arnold Palmer Invitational in 2011. He is currently the only Scottish player on the PGA Tour.
to take up a golf scholarship at Colorado State University
under head coach Jamie Bermel. He played for the Colorado State Rams
in the Mountain West Conference
which had been established in 1999. Playing for four years from 2000-01 to 2003-04 he won four individual titles in college events. His wins were in the Mountain West Conference Men's Golf Championship (1 May 2002), El Diablo Intercollegiate (16 March 2003), Ping Golf Cougar Classic (26 April 2003) and Border Olympics (2 April 2004). In his last 3 years he was selected as one of the All Mountain West Conference Selections. He graduated with a degree in marketing in 2004.
In 2009 he was selected as a member of the "Mountain West Men's Golf 10th Anniversary Team".
event, the Envirocare Utah Classic, but did not make the cut. At the end of 2004 he qualified for the final stage of the PGA Tour
's Qualifying School
. He finished at 1 over par for a tie for 96th place, 18 shots behind the winner, fellow Brit, Brian Davis. This gave Laird conditional status for the 2005 Nationwide tour.
In 2005 he concentrated full-time on the Nationwide Tour
. He had only limited success with a best position of tied 18th in 19 events and earnings of $18,488 placed him 156th in the Nationwide Tour's money list.
During 2006 Laird won the San Juan Open and a tournament on the Gateway Tour
, a third tier tour, at The Wigwam Golf Resort and Spa in Azirona. He did not play on the Nationwide Tour but, as in 2004, he qualified for the final stage of the PGA Tour Qualifying School. His 2 under par total left him tied for 64th place, giving him full status on the Nationwide Tour for 2007.
, playing a total of 27 events. He won the Athens Regional Foundation Classic
in April, earning him $90,000 and then finished tied 3rd in the season-ending Nationwide Tour Championship. His $252,679 earnings placed him 13th place on the Nationwide Tour's money list
, to earn his PGA Tour
card for 2008.
He qualified for the 2007 U.S. Open
, his first major, but scored 76 and 79 and didn't make the cut. He ended the year at 251 in the Official World Golf Rankings
.
standings and entry into The Barclays, the first of the FedEx Cup Playoff events
. He tied for 7th in this event. The three successive tournaments had earned him $546,225. His good performance in The Barclays raised him to 67 in the FedEx Cup standings giving him entries into the Deutsche Bank Championship
and the BMW Championship. He eventually finished at 67 in the FedEx Cup standings and he took $110,000 of the Bonus Pool.
Before the final event of the season, the Children's Miracle Network Classic, he was 126th in the PGA Tour's money list behind Shane Bertsch
. Only the top 125 would retain their cards for the 2009 season. Bertsch failed to make the cut and with Laird finishing the tournament tied for 21st, the $49,680 he won gave him 125th place on the PGA Tour's money list $11,504 ahead of Bertsch, who dropped to 126th. Had he missed an 8 foot par putt at the final hole, his earnings would have dropped by some $15,000. Laird's season earnings were $852,752. He ended the year ranked 268 in the World Rankings.
On 26 May, Laird secured a place at the 2009 Open Championship
after making it through the American qualifier in Texas
. He shot rounds of 67 and 65 to share the third spot. In the tournament itself, he scored 74 and 72 to miss the cut by two strokes. The previous week he had finished 10th in the Scottish Open
, his first professional tournament in his native Scotland.
On 8 June, Laird made it through qualification for the U.S. Open
, set for the Black Course at Bethpage State Park
. He gained one of the 13 spots available with rounds of 67 and 70, to make it in by one shot. In the tournament itself, he scored 74 and 71 to miss the cut by one stroke.
In August, Laird finished tied for second in the Legends Reno-Tahoe Open, an alternate event played at the same time as the 2009 WGC-Bridgestone Invitational
. He won $264,000 and raised his Official World Golf Ranking from 303 to 236.
Later in 2009, Laird won the Justin Timberlake Shriners Hospitals for Children Open in a three-man playoff for his first PGA Tour win, securing his Tour card for 2010 and 2011. He took the first prize of $756,000 and jumped from 134th to 62nd on the money list. By winning that tournament he became the first Scot to win a PGA Tour
event in America since Sandy Lyle
won the 1988 Masters Tournament
, and the first Scotsman to win any PGA Tour event since Paul Lawrie
's 1999 Open Championship
triumph. Laird became the highest ranked Scot in the Official World Golf Rankings
, his ranking rising from 237 to 108. The victory also gave him qualification for his first WGC event, the 2009 WGC-HSBC Champions
tournament, where he finished tied for 54th place.
.
Laird finished 95th in the regular season FedEx Cup
standings. He played well in The Barclays tournament, the first FedEx Cup playoff
event, at the Ridgewood Country Club
in late August. After 3 rounds of 69, 67 and 65 he held a 3 shot lead. After birdies at the first two holes he then went 7,5 to drop 3 shots at the next two holes. A birdie at the 17th, where he holed from 7 feet, gave him a one-stroke lead over Matt Kuchar
and meant he needed to par the 18th to win. He hit the green in 2 but then 3 putted from 30 feet, this time missing a 7-foot putt which would have won the tournament outright, and fell into a tie with Kuchar. Kuchar birdied the first playoff hole, the 18th, following a spectacular recovery shot from the left rough, which finished two feet from the pin; Laird, in the right rough from the tee, hit the green, but had a long birdie putt which he missed. The second place finish earned Laird $810,000, left him 3rd in the revised FedEx Cup standings, and boosted his world ranking from 120 to a new personal high of 61.
This performance earned him entry into the remaining FedEx Cup events. He eventually finished 11th in the final FedEx Cup standings and took $300,000 in Bonus Money, despite finishing last in The Tour Championship
.
Laird had a rare European outing when he finished tied for 5th in the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship in October and then two weeks later returned to Las Vegas to defend the Justin Timberlake Shriners Hospitals for Children Open title that he won in 2009. Laird missed a 25-foot putt on the 72nd hole. A three-man playoff then ensued with Laird being joined by Cameron Percy
and Jonathan Byrd
. Martin had more chances to win but missed putts of varying lengths at the first three sudden-death playoff holes. This was to prove costly as on the 4th playoff hole, Byrd, who had the honour, made the first ever hole in one
in a playoff in PGA Tour history to win the title. The tie for 2nd place lifted Laird to a career high world ranking of 55. The following week, he tied for 3rd place in the CIMB Asia Pacific Classic Malaysia
, two shots behind winner Ben Crane
, lifting him into the world top 50 with a new ranking to 49.
Despite his win in 2009, Laird did not gain automatic qualification for the first three majors of 2010, as the win was not at a regular season or full-field event. He qualified for the Open Championship
at the Old Course at St Andrews
with rounds of 69 and 63 at Gleneagles Golf & Country Club in Texas, but had rounds of 74 and 83 to miss the cut by 11 shots. He did get automatic qualification for the PGA Championship
(winners of PGA Tour events get automatic entry into the PGA Championship regardless of status) and, with rounds of 70 and 74, made his first cut in a major championship. Further rounds of 72 and 73 left him tied for 48th place.
and tied for 5th in the Transitions Championship, his ranking rising to 40.
On 27 March 2011, Laird claimed the biggest title of his career at the Arnold Palmer Invitational taking the first prize of $1,080,000. After three rounds of 70, 65 and 70 Laird had a two shot lead over Spencer Levin
with Steve Marino
and Bubba Watson
a further two strokes behind. Laird dropped three shots on the front nine and then had a double-bogey at the 11th. At this stage Levin was also five over par for his round but Marino was two under par, resulting in a seven shot swing and leaving Laird three shots behind Marino. Laird scored three birdies and a bogey in the next five holes, while Marino scored a bogey and then a double-bogey at the par three 17th hole, leaving Laird now with a two shot lead. However Marino birdied the 18th, after holing an eight foot putt, leaving Laird needing to par the last hole to win. His second shot was on the green but eighty three feet away. He two-putted for the victory. This ensured that he became first ever European winner of the Arnold Palmer Invitational. After the tournament his world ranking rose to 21.
By qualifying for the 2010 Tour Championship, Laird also qualified for his first Masters
. Rounds of 74, 69, 69 and 73 left him tied 20th, his best finish in a major. However he failed to make the cut in the other three majors.
Following his victory in the Arnold Palmer Invitational he had other good results, finishing tied for 9th in the Valero Texas Open
, tied for 10th in the Crowne Plaza Invitational at Colonial
and tied for 11th in the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational
. He finished 17th in the "regular season" FedEx Cup
standings. Despite finishing tied for 12th in the BMW Championship he finished 31st in the FedEx Cup standings and did not qualify for The Tour Championship
.
He is coached by Mark McCann.
plays association football currently for Scottish First Division club Falkirk
.
Laird is engaged to Meagan Franks. She is from Steamboat Springs, Colorado
and is the daughter of golf professional Hank Franks.
PGA Tour playoff record (1-2)
DNP = Did not play
CUT = Missed the 36-hole cut
"T" = Tied
Yellow background for top-10.
Although Laird plays most of his golf on the PGA Tour, he has earned money in some tournaments which have not qualified for official PGA Tour earnings:
2009: Barclays Scottish Open (€69,520), WGC-HSBC Champions ($36,500)
2010: Barclays Scottish Open (€32,666), Alfred Dunhill Links Championship (€124,594), CIMB Asia Pacific Classic Malaysia
($403,000)
2011: Barclays Scottish Open (€8,088)
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
professional golfer
Professional golfer
In golf the distinction between amateurs and professionals is rigorously maintained. An amateur who breaches the rules of amateur status may lose his or her amateur status. A golfer who has lost his or her amateur status may not play in amateur competitions until amateur status has been reinstated;...
, playing on the PGA Tour
PGA Tour
The PGA Tour is the organizer of the main men's professional golf tours in the United States and North America...
. He has won two PGA Tour events in his career, most notably the Arnold Palmer Invitational in 2011. He is currently the only Scottish player on the PGA Tour.
Early golf career
Laird was born in Glasgow, Scotland and played his Junior golf at Kirkintilloch Golf CLub and then moving to play his youth golf at Hilton Park Golf Club. He learned to play golf left-handed but eventually switched to playing right-handed.College career
In 2000, at the age of 17 and with the assistance of College Prospects of America, Laird moved to the United StatesUnited States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
to take up a golf scholarship at Colorado State University
Colorado State University
Colorado State University is a public research university located in Fort Collins, Colorado. The university is the state's land grant university, and the flagship university of the Colorado State University System.The enrollment is approximately 29,932 students, including resident and...
under head coach Jamie Bermel. He played for the Colorado State Rams
Colorado State Rams
Colorado State University competes in 16 sponsored intercollegiate sports, including 10 for women and six for men...
in the Mountain West Conference
Mountain West Conference
The Mountain West Conference , popularly known as the Mountain West, is the youngest of the college athletic conferences affiliated with the NCAA’s Division I FBS . The MWC officially began operations in July 1999...
which had been established in 1999. Playing for four years from 2000-01 to 2003-04 he won four individual titles in college events. His wins were in the Mountain West Conference Men's Golf Championship (1 May 2002), El Diablo Intercollegiate (16 March 2003), Ping Golf Cougar Classic (26 April 2003) and Border Olympics (2 April 2004). In his last 3 years he was selected as one of the All Mountain West Conference Selections. He graduated with a degree in marketing in 2004.
In 2009 he was selected as a member of the "Mountain West Men's Golf 10th Anniversary Team".
Professional career
Turning professional after college, he won his second professional tournament, the 2004 Denver Open, winning $12,000. In 2004 he played in a single Nationwide Tour2004 Nationwide Tour
The 2004 Nationwide Tour season ran from February 5 to October 31. The season consisted of 31 official money golf tournaments; five of which were played outside of the United States...
event, the Envirocare Utah Classic, but did not make the cut. At the end of 2004 he qualified for the final stage of the PGA Tour
PGA Tour
The PGA Tour is the organizer of the main men's professional golf tours in the United States and North America...
's Qualifying School
Qualifying school
In professional golf the term qualifying school is used for the annual qualifying tournaments for leading golf tours such as the U.S. based PGA and LPGA Tours and the European Tour. A fixed number of players in the event win membership of the tour for the following season, otherwise known as a...
. He finished at 1 over par for a tie for 96th place, 18 shots behind the winner, fellow Brit, Brian Davis. This gave Laird conditional status for the 2005 Nationwide tour.
In 2005 he concentrated full-time on the Nationwide Tour
2005 Nationwide Tour
The 2005 Nationwide Tour season ran from January 27 to October 30. The season consisted of 31 official money golf tournaments; five of which were played outside of the United States...
. He had only limited success with a best position of tied 18th in 19 events and earnings of $18,488 placed him 156th in the Nationwide Tour's money list.
During 2006 Laird won the San Juan Open and a tournament on the Gateway Tour
Gateway Tour
The Gateway Tour is a third-level men's professional golf tour headquartered in Phoenix, Arizona that runs tournaments in Arizona, California, and Florida. The top level of men's professional golf in the United States is the PGA Tour. The second level is the Nationwide Tour, which is the official...
, a third tier tour, at The Wigwam Golf Resort and Spa in Azirona. He did not play on the Nationwide Tour but, as in 2004, he qualified for the final stage of the PGA Tour Qualifying School. His 2 under par total left him tied for 64th place, giving him full status on the Nationwide Tour for 2007.
2007: Nationwide Tour success
In 2007 he again played on the Nationwide Tour2007 Nationwide Tour
The 2007 Nationwide Tour season ran from January 25 to November 4. The season consisted of 32 official money golf tournaments; three of which were played outside of the United States. The top 25 players on the year-end money list earned their PGA Tour card for 2008. Nick Flanagan earned his PGA...
, playing a total of 27 events. He won the Athens Regional Foundation Classic
Athens Regional Foundation Classic
The Stadion Classic at UGA is a golf tournament on the Nationwide Tour. It is played at University of Georgia Golf Club in Athens, Georgia.It was founded in 2006 as the Athens Regional Foundation Classic with the Athens Regional Foundation as the host organization for the event...
in April, earning him $90,000 and then finished tied 3rd in the season-ending Nationwide Tour Championship. His $252,679 earnings placed him 13th place on the Nationwide Tour's money list
2007 Nationwide Tour Graduates
This is a list of players who graduated from the Nationwide Tour in 2007. The top 25 players on the Nationwide Tour's money list in 2007 earned their PGA Tour card for 2008.*PGA Tour rookie for 2008....
, to earn his PGA Tour
PGA Tour
The PGA Tour is the organizer of the main men's professional golf tours in the United States and North America...
card for 2008.
He qualified for the 2007 U.S. Open
2007 U.S. Open (Golf)
The 2007 United States Open Championship was the 107th U.S. Open, played from June 14 to June 17 at Oakmont Country Club. The U.S. Open returned to Oakmont for the first time since 1994 when Ernie Els captured his first major championship. Ángel Cabrera won the championship after Jim Furyk and...
, his first major, but scored 76 and 79 and didn't make the cut. He ended the year at 251 in the Official World Golf Rankings
Official World Golf Rankings
The Official World Golf Ranking is a system for rating the performance level of male professional golfers...
.
2008: rookie season on PGA Tour
In his first season on the PGA Tour, Laird struggled in the first half of the year making the cut only 6 times in 14 events and with a best position of 55th. He showed an improvement in form in July but his main success came in August. He had tied 4th in the Legends Reno-Tahoe Open and then tied 4th again in the Wyndham Championship. These results took him to 128th in the FedEx CupFedEx Cup
The FedEx Cup is a championship trophy for the PGA Tour. Its introduction marked the first time that men's professional golf had a playoff system. Announced in November 2005, it was first awarded in 2007 after a NASCAR-like points race. Bill Haas is the current champion...
standings and entry into The Barclays, the first of the FedEx Cup Playoff events
2008 FedEx Cup Playoffs
The 2008 FedEx Cup Playoffs, the series of four golf tournaments that determined the season champion on the U.S.-based PGA Tour, were held from August 21 to September 28. They consisted of four events:*The Barclays*Deutsche Bank Championship*BMW Championship...
. He tied for 7th in this event. The three successive tournaments had earned him $546,225. His good performance in The Barclays raised him to 67 in the FedEx Cup standings giving him entries into the Deutsche Bank Championship
Deutsche Bank Championship
The Deutsche Bank Championship is a professional golf tournament on the PGA Tour, held annually over the Labor Day weekend. The tournament made its debut in 2003 and is held at the Tournament Players Club of Boston in Norton, Massachusetts...
and the BMW Championship. He eventually finished at 67 in the FedEx Cup standings and he took $110,000 of the Bonus Pool.
Before the final event of the season, the Children's Miracle Network Classic, he was 126th in the PGA Tour's money list behind Shane Bertsch
Shane Bertsch
Shane Thomas Bertsch is an American professional golfer who currently plays on the PGA Tour.Bertsch was born in Denver, Colorado. He turned professional in 1994....
. Only the top 125 would retain their cards for the 2009 season. Bertsch failed to make the cut and with Laird finishing the tournament tied for 21st, the $49,680 he won gave him 125th place on the PGA Tour's money list $11,504 ahead of Bertsch, who dropped to 126th. Had he missed an 8 foot par putt at the final hole, his earnings would have dropped by some $15,000. Laird's season earnings were $852,752. He ended the year ranked 268 in the World Rankings.
2009: breakthrough year
As in 2008 Laird had a poor start to the year. Before the Legends Reno-Tahoe Open in August, he had made the cut just 7 times in 19 PGA Tour events and had had a run of 7 successive missed cuts.On 26 May, Laird secured a place at the 2009 Open Championship
2009 Open Championship
The 2009 Open Championship was the 138th Open Championship, one of the four major golf championships, and was played from 16–19 July at the Turnberry Resort, in Ayrshire, Scotland. It was the fourth time The Open Championship had been played at Turnberry...
after making it through the American qualifier in Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
. He shot rounds of 67 and 65 to share the third spot. In the tournament itself, he scored 74 and 72 to miss the cut by two strokes. The previous week he had finished 10th in the Scottish Open
Scottish Open (golf)
The Scottish Open, which has been sponsored by Barclays Capital since 2002, is one of the richer golf tournaments on the European Tour. It is currently played at Castle Stuart Golf Links in Inverness in the North of Scotland...
, his first professional tournament in his native Scotland.
On 8 June, Laird made it through qualification for the U.S. Open
U.S. Open (golf)
The United States Open Championship, commonly known as the U.S. Open, is the annual open golf tournament of the United States. It is the second of the four major championships in golf, and is on the official schedule of both the PGA Tour and the European Tour...
, set for the Black Course at Bethpage State Park
Bethpage State Park
Bethpage State Park is a New York state park on the border of Nassau County and Suffolk County on Long Island. The park contains tennis courts, picnic and recreational areas and a polo field, but is best known for its five golf courses, including the Bethpage Black Course, which hosted the 2002...
. He gained one of the 13 spots available with rounds of 67 and 70, to make it in by one shot. In the tournament itself, he scored 74 and 71 to miss the cut by one stroke.
In August, Laird finished tied for second in the Legends Reno-Tahoe Open, an alternate event played at the same time as the 2009 WGC-Bridgestone Invitational
2009 WGC-Bridgestone Invitational
The 2009 WGC-Bridgestone Invitational was a golf tournament that was contested from August 6–9, 2009 over the South Course at Firestone Country Club in Akron, Ohio...
. He won $264,000 and raised his Official World Golf Ranking from 303 to 236.
Later in 2009, Laird won the Justin Timberlake Shriners Hospitals for Children Open in a three-man playoff for his first PGA Tour win, securing his Tour card for 2010 and 2011. He took the first prize of $756,000 and jumped from 134th to 62nd on the money list. By winning that tournament he became the first Scot to win a PGA Tour
PGA Tour
The PGA Tour is the organizer of the main men's professional golf tours in the United States and North America...
event in America since Sandy Lyle
Sandy Lyle
Alexander Walter Barr "Sandy" Lyle, MBE is a Scottish professional golfer. Lyle has won two major championships during his career. Along with Nick Faldo and Ian Woosnam, he became one of Britain's top golfers during the 1980s...
won the 1988 Masters Tournament
1988 Masters Tournament
The 1988 Masters Tournament was the 52nd Masters Tournament held from April 7–10 at Augusta National Golf Club. Sandy Lyle won his first Masters championship and second major title with a birdie on the 72nd hole to beat Mark Calcavecchia by one stroke....
, and the first Scotsman to win any PGA Tour event since Paul Lawrie
Paul Lawrie
Paul Stewart Lawrie MBE is a Scottish professional golfer who is best known for winning The Open Championship in 1999.-Life and career:...
's 1999 Open Championship
1999 Open Championship
The 1999 Open Championship was the 128th Open Championship held from 15-18 July at the Carnoustie Golf Links in Angus, Scotland. Paul Lawrie won his first major championship in a playoff over Jean van de Velde and Justin Leonard. Lawrie, down by 10 strokes at the start of the fourth round,...
triumph. Laird became the highest ranked Scot in the Official World Golf Rankings
Official World Golf Rankings
The Official World Golf Ranking is a system for rating the performance level of male professional golfers...
, his ranking rising from 237 to 108. The victory also gave him qualification for his first WGC event, the 2009 WGC-HSBC Champions
2009 WGC-HSBC Champions
The 2009 WGC-HSBC Champions was a golf tournament that was contested from November 5–8, 2009 at the Sheshan Golf Club in Shanghai, China. It was the first WGC-HSBC Champions tournament, and the fourth of four World Golf Championships events held in 2009....
tournament, where he finished tied for 54th place.
2010
Laird played most of his golf on the PGA Tour in 2010. He tied for 4th in season-opening Hyundai Tournament of Champions and tied 10th in the Crowne Plaza Invitational at ColonialCrowne Plaza Invitational at Colonial
The Crowne Plaza Invitational at Colonial is a regular golf tournament on the PGA Tour. It has been played annually in May in Fort Worth, Texas on the course at the Colonial Country Club. It is one of five invitational tournaments held on the PGA Tour...
.
Laird finished 95th in the regular season FedEx Cup
FedEx Cup
The FedEx Cup is a championship trophy for the PGA Tour. Its introduction marked the first time that men's professional golf had a playoff system. Announced in November 2005, it was first awarded in 2007 after a NASCAR-like points race. Bill Haas is the current champion...
standings. He played well in The Barclays tournament, the first FedEx Cup playoff
2010 FedEx Cup Playoffs
The 2010 FedEx Cup Playoffs, the series of four golf tournaments that determined the season champion on the U.S.-based PGA Tour, began on August 26 and ended on September 26...
event, at the Ridgewood Country Club
Ridgewood Country Club
The Ridgewood Country Club is a country club located in Paramus, New Jersey. It was founded in 1890 in neighboring Ridgewood, but has been at its current location since 1926.-History:...
in late August. After 3 rounds of 69, 67 and 65 he held a 3 shot lead. After birdies at the first two holes he then went 7,5 to drop 3 shots at the next two holes. A birdie at the 17th, where he holed from 7 feet, gave him a one-stroke lead over Matt Kuchar
Matt Kuchar
Matthew Gregory Kuchar is an American professional golfer who has played on both the PGA Tour and the Nationwide Tour. He has ranked as high as number six in the Official World Golf Rankings.-Early career:...
and meant he needed to par the 18th to win. He hit the green in 2 but then 3 putted from 30 feet, this time missing a 7-foot putt which would have won the tournament outright, and fell into a tie with Kuchar. Kuchar birdied the first playoff hole, the 18th, following a spectacular recovery shot from the left rough, which finished two feet from the pin; Laird, in the right rough from the tee, hit the green, but had a long birdie putt which he missed. The second place finish earned Laird $810,000, left him 3rd in the revised FedEx Cup standings, and boosted his world ranking from 120 to a new personal high of 61.
This performance earned him entry into the remaining FedEx Cup events. He eventually finished 11th in the final FedEx Cup standings and took $300,000 in Bonus Money, despite finishing last in The Tour Championship
The Tour Championship
The Tour Championship was historically the final event of golf's PGA Tour season. Since 2007, it has been the final event of the FedEx Cup, the competition for the first official championship trophy for the PGA Tour season. From 1987 to 1996, several courses hosted the event...
.
Laird had a rare European outing when he finished tied for 5th in the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship in October and then two weeks later returned to Las Vegas to defend the Justin Timberlake Shriners Hospitals for Children Open title that he won in 2009. Laird missed a 25-foot putt on the 72nd hole. A three-man playoff then ensued with Laird being joined by Cameron Percy
Cameron Percy
Cameron Percy is an Australian professional golfer.Percy was born in Chelsea, Victoria and turned professional in 1998. He joined the second tier Nationwide Tour in 2005 but enjoyed little success and returned to Australia where he won twice on the developmental Von Nida Tour in 2006.Percy was...
and Jonathan Byrd
Jonathan Byrd (golfer)
Jonathan Currie Byrd is an American professional golfer. He was the 2002 PGA Tour Rookie of the Year, and has won five times on the PGA Tour.-Biography:...
. Martin had more chances to win but missed putts of varying lengths at the first three sudden-death playoff holes. This was to prove costly as on the 4th playoff hole, Byrd, who had the honour, made the first ever hole in one
Hole in one
In golf, a hole in one or hole-in-one is when a player hits the ball directly from the tee into the cup with one shot. This is most possible on a par 3 hole. Longer hitters have accomplished this feat on shorter par 4 holes...
in a playoff in PGA Tour history to win the title. The tie for 2nd place lifted Laird to a career high world ranking of 55. The following week, he tied for 3rd place in the CIMB Asia Pacific Classic Malaysia
CIMB Asia Pacific Classic Malaysia
The CIMB Asia Pacific Classic Malaysia is a golf tournament co-sanctioned by the Asian Tour and the PGA Tour. It is played at The Mines Resort & Golf Club in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. It is the first event ever sanctioned by the PGA Tour in Southeast Asia...
, two shots behind winner Ben Crane
Ben Crane
Benjamin McCully Crane is an American professional golfer who plays on the PGA Tour.-Amateur career:Crane was born in Portland, Oregon. He was age 5 when his grandfather taught him how to play golf, and he grew up playing at the nearby Portland Golf Club where Ben Hogan won the 1945 Portland Open...
, lifting him into the world top 50 with a new ranking to 49.
Despite his win in 2009, Laird did not gain automatic qualification for the first three majors of 2010, as the win was not at a regular season or full-field event. He qualified for the Open Championship
2010 Open Championship
The 2010 Open Championship was the 139th Open Championship, the oldest of golf's four majors, and was played from 15–18 July over the Old Course at St Andrews, Fife, Scotland. It was celebrated as the 150th anniversary of the founding of The Open in 1860...
at the Old Course at St Andrews
Old Course at St Andrews
The Old Course at St Andrews is the oldest golf course in the world. The Old Course is a public course over common land in St Andrews, Fife, Scotland and is held in trust by The St Andrews Links Trust under an act of Parliament...
with rounds of 69 and 63 at Gleneagles Golf & Country Club in Texas, but had rounds of 74 and 83 to miss the cut by 11 shots. He did get automatic qualification for the PGA Championship
2010 PGA Championship
The 2010 PGA Championship was the 92nd PGA Championship. Martin Kaymer from Germany won for his first major championship, in a three-hole playoff over Bubba Watson. The tournament began on Thursday, August 12, 2010, and concluded on Sunday, August 15. It was played at the Straits Course of the...
(winners of PGA Tour events get automatic entry into the PGA Championship regardless of status) and, with rounds of 70 and 74, made his first cut in a major championship. Further rounds of 72 and 73 left him tied for 48th place.
2011: Arnold Palmer Invitational title
Laird's good form in the latter part of 2010 continued in early 2011. In February, he tied for 3rd in the Waste Management Phoenix Open, lifting his world ranking to 41. In March, he tied for 10th in the WGC-Cadillac Championship2011 WGC-Cadillac Championship
The 2011 WGC-Cadillac Championship was a golf tournament that was contested from March 10–13 at Doral Golf Resort & Spa in Doral, Florida. It was the 12th WGC-Cadillac Championship tournament, and the second of four World Golf Championships events staged in 2011. Cadillac replaced CA...
and tied for 5th in the Transitions Championship, his ranking rising to 40.
On 27 March 2011, Laird claimed the biggest title of his career at the Arnold Palmer Invitational taking the first prize of $1,080,000. After three rounds of 70, 65 and 70 Laird had a two shot lead over Spencer Levin
Spencer Levin
Spencer Joseph Levin is an American professional golfer who currently plays on the PGA Tour.Levin was born in Sacramento, California. He attended the University of California, Los Angeles before transferring to the University of New Mexico, where he was a two-time All-American...
with Steve Marino
Steve Marino
Stephen Paul Marino, Jr. is an American professional golfer, a member of the PGA Tour since 2007.-Early life, education, early golf:...
and Bubba Watson
Bubba Watson
Gerry "Bubba" Watson is an American professional golfer. Watson is one of the few left-handed golfers on tour and is known for his tremendous length. The longest driver on the PGA Tour, in 2007 he had an average drive of 315.2 yards and is capable of generating a ball speed of 194 mph, being...
a further two strokes behind. Laird dropped three shots on the front nine and then had a double-bogey at the 11th. At this stage Levin was also five over par for his round but Marino was two under par, resulting in a seven shot swing and leaving Laird three shots behind Marino. Laird scored three birdies and a bogey in the next five holes, while Marino scored a bogey and then a double-bogey at the par three 17th hole, leaving Laird now with a two shot lead. However Marino birdied the 18th, after holing an eight foot putt, leaving Laird needing to par the last hole to win. His second shot was on the green but eighty three feet away. He two-putted for the victory. This ensured that he became first ever European winner of the Arnold Palmer Invitational. After the tournament his world ranking rose to 21.
By qualifying for the 2010 Tour Championship, Laird also qualified for his first Masters
2011 Masters Tournament
The 2011 Masters Tournament was the 75th Masters Tournament and was played from April 7–10 at Augusta National Golf Club. It was the first major championship of the 2011 season. South African Charl Schwartzel won the 2011 event by two strokes over Adam Scott and Jason Day.Eight players held a share...
. Rounds of 74, 69, 69 and 73 left him tied 20th, his best finish in a major. However he failed to make the cut in the other three majors.
Following his victory in the Arnold Palmer Invitational he had other good results, finishing tied for 9th in the Valero Texas Open
Valero Texas Open
The Valero Texas Open is an official tournament on the PGA Tour. It dates back to 1922 when it was first called the Texas Open; San Antonio-based Valero Energy Corporation took over naming rights in 2002. It is played at The Oaks Course at the TPC San Antonio. In 2003, it was the site of the...
, tied for 10th in the Crowne Plaza Invitational at Colonial
Crowne Plaza Invitational at Colonial
The Crowne Plaza Invitational at Colonial is a regular golf tournament on the PGA Tour. It has been played annually in May in Fort Worth, Texas on the course at the Colonial Country Club. It is one of five invitational tournaments held on the PGA Tour...
and tied for 11th in the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational
WGC-Bridgestone Invitational
The WGC-Bridgestone Invitational is one of the annual World Golf Championships for male professional golfers. It is sanctioned and organized by the International Federation of PGA Tours and the prize money is official money on both the PGA Tour and the PGA European Tour...
. He finished 17th in the "regular season" FedEx Cup
FedEx Cup
The FedEx Cup is a championship trophy for the PGA Tour. Its introduction marked the first time that men's professional golf had a playoff system. Announced in November 2005, it was first awarded in 2007 after a NASCAR-like points race. Bill Haas is the current champion...
standings. Despite finishing tied for 12th in the BMW Championship he finished 31st in the FedEx Cup standings and did not qualify for The Tour Championship
The Tour Championship
The Tour Championship was historically the final event of golf's PGA Tour season. Since 2007, it has been the final event of the FedEx Cup, the competition for the first official championship trophy for the PGA Tour season. From 1987 to 1996, several courses hosted the event...
.
Game
Laird is a long hitter, ranking in the top 20 on the PGA Tour average driving distance statistic in 2009, 2010 and 2011.He is coached by Mark McCann.
Personal life
Laird comes from a sporting family, as his cousin David WeatherstonDavid Weatherston
David Weatherston is a Scottish professional footballer currently playing with Falkirk. He is a forward, who likes to break quickly from wide midfield areas, using his fast pace.-Queen's Park:...
plays association football currently for Scottish First Division club Falkirk
Falkirk
Falkirk is a town in the Central Lowlands of Scotland. It lies in the Forth Valley, almost midway between the two most populous cities of Scotland; north-west of Edinburgh and north-east of Glasgow....
.
Laird is engaged to Meagan Franks. She is from Steamboat Springs, Colorado
Steamboat Springs, Colorado
The city of Steamboat Springs is a Home Rule Municipality that is the county seat and the most populous city of Routt County, Colorado, United States. The city is also known as "Steamboat," "The Boat," or "Ski Town USA". As of the 2010 census, the city population was 12,088.The city is an...
and is the daughter of golf professional Hank Franks.
PGA Tour wins (2)
| No. | Date | Tournament | Winning Score | Margin of Victory |
Runner(s)-up |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Oct 18, 2009 2009 PGA Tour The 2009 PGA Tour season ran from January 8 to November 15. The season consisted of 46 official money events, one of which was canceled. This included four major championships and three World Golf Championships, which are also sanctioned by the European Tour.... |
Justin Timberlake Shriners Hospitals for Children Open | Playoff |  Chad CampbellChad Campbell David Chad Campbell is an American professional golfer.-Early years and amateur career:Campbell was born in Andrews, Texas and grew up in west Texas. He was a member of a strong junior college men's golf squad during the years he played at Midland College... , George McNeillGeorge McNeill George William McNeill, Jr. is an American professional golfer.McNeill was born and raised in Naples, Florida. He attended Florida State University, where he was a member of the golf team. He was an All-ACC and All-America selection in 1997 and 1998.McNeill is currently a member of the PGA Tour... |
|
| 2 | Mar 27, 2011 2011 PGA Tour The 2011 PGA Tour, the 44th season since the Tour became independent from the PGA of America, will consist of a total of 49 sanctioned events running from early January to late November... |
Arnold Palmer Invitational | 1 stroke | Steve Marino Steve Marino Stephen Paul Marino, Jr. is an American professional golfer, a member of the PGA Tour since 2007.-Early life, education, early golf:... |
PGA Tour playoff record (1-2)
| No. | Year | Tournament | Opponent(s) | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2009 | Justin Timberlake Shriners Hospitals for Children Open | Chad Campbell Chad Campbell David Chad Campbell is an American professional golfer.-Early years and amateur career:Campbell was born in Andrews, Texas and grew up in west Texas. He was a member of a strong junior college men's golf squad during the years he played at Midland College... , George McNeillGeorge McNeill George William McNeill, Jr. is an American professional golfer.McNeill was born and raised in Naples, Florida. He attended Florida State University, where he was a member of the golf team. He was an All-ACC and All-America selection in 1997 and 1998.McNeill is currently a member of the PGA Tour... |
Won with par on third extra hole Campbell eliminated with par on second hole |
| 2 | 2010 | The Barclays | Matt Kuchar Matt Kuchar Matthew Gregory Kuchar is an American professional golfer who has played on both the PGA Tour and the Nationwide Tour. He has ranked as high as number six in the Official World Golf Rankings.-Early career:... |
Lost to birdie on first extra hole |
| 3 | 2010 | Justin Timberlake Shriners Hospitals for Children Open | Jonathan Byrd Jonathan Byrd (golfer) Jonathan Currie Byrd is an American professional golfer. He was the 2002 PGA Tour Rookie of the Year, and has won five times on the PGA Tour.-Biography:... ,  Cameron PercyCameron Percy Cameron Percy is an Australian professional golfer.Percy was born in Chelsea, Victoria and turned professional in 1998. He joined the second tier Nationwide Tour in 2005 but enjoyed little success and returned to Australia where he won twice on the developmental Von Nida Tour in 2006.Percy was... |
Byrd won with eagle on fourth extra hole |
Results in major championships
| Tournament | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Masters | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | T20 |
| U.S. Open U.S. Open (golf) The United States Open Championship, commonly known as the U.S. Open, is the annual open golf tournament of the United States. It is the second of the four major championships in golf, and is on the official schedule of both the PGA Tour and the European Tour... |
CUT | DNP | CUT | DNP | CUT |
| The Open Championship The Open Championship The Open Championship, or simply The Open , is the oldest of the four major championships in professional golf. It is the only "major" held outside the USA and is administered by The R&A, which is the governing body of golf outside the USA and Mexico... |
DNP | DNP | CUT | CUT | CUT |
| PGA Championship PGA Championship The PGA Championship is an annual golf tournament conducted by the PGA of America as part of the PGA Tour. It is one of the four major championships in men's professional golf, and is the golf season's final major, usually played in mid-August, customarily four weeks after The Open Championship... |
DNP | DNP | DNP | T48 | CUT |
DNP = Did not play
CUT = Missed the 36-hole cut
"T" = Tied
Yellow background for top-10.
Summary
- Tournaments played: 9
- Wins: 0
- Top 10s: 0
- Top 25s: 1
- Missed cuts: 7
- Most consecutive cuts made: 2
Results in World Golf Championships
| Tournament | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Accenture Match Play Championship WGC-Accenture Match Play Championship The WGC-Accenture Match Play Championship is one of the annual World Golf Championships. It is a knockout event and is staged in January or February each year... |
DNP | DNP | R64 |
| Cadillac Championship | DNP | DNP | T10 |
| Bridgestone Invitational WGC-Bridgestone Invitational The WGC-Bridgestone Invitational is one of the annual World Golf Championships for male professional golfers. It is sanctioned and organized by the International Federation of PGA Tours and the prize money is official money on both the PGA Tour and the PGA European Tour... |
DNP | T16 | T11 |
| HSBC Champions | T54 | DNP | DNP |
- DNP = Did not play
- QF, R16, R32, R64 = Round in which player lost in match play
- "T" = tied
- Yellow background for top-10.
Career earnings by year
Official earnings on the main PGA Tour.| Year | PGA Tour | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2007 | $0 | |
| 2008 | $852,752 | 125 |
| 2009 | $1,349,354 | 65 |
| 2010 | $2,137,928 | 35 |
| 2011 | $2,676,509 | 23 |
| Total | $7,016,542 | 169 |
Although Laird plays most of his golf on the PGA Tour, he has earned money in some tournaments which have not qualified for official PGA Tour earnings:
2009: Barclays Scottish Open (€69,520), WGC-HSBC Champions ($36,500)
2010: Barclays Scottish Open (€32,666), Alfred Dunhill Links Championship (€124,594), CIMB Asia Pacific Classic Malaysia
CIMB Asia Pacific Classic Malaysia
The CIMB Asia Pacific Classic Malaysia is a golf tournament co-sanctioned by the Asian Tour and the PGA Tour. It is played at The Mines Resort & Golf Club in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. It is the first event ever sanctioned by the PGA Tour in Southeast Asia...
($403,000)
2011: Barclays Scottish Open (€8,088)
Team appearances
Professional- World Cup (representing Scotland): 2011