Martin Laird wins at TPC Summerlin

Scotland’s Martin Laird secured his first PGA Tour title at the Justin Timberlake Shriners Hospitals for Children Open. The 26-year-old came through a three-hole play-off against Chad Campbell and George McNeill.

Martin Laird
Fergus Bisset
By Fergus Bisset
published

Scotland's Martin Laird secured his first PGA Tour title at the Justin Timberlake Shriners Hospitals for Children Open. The 26-year-old came through a three-hole play-off against Chad Campbell and George McNeill.

It was a crucial week for Laird in his burgeoning professional career. At the start of the tournament he was 134th on the money list and in danger of losing his card for 2010. But, with the win, Laird earned a two-year exemption and jumped to 62nd on the money list with 2009 earnings well over $1 million.

The Scot fired a solid closing round of 68 at TPC Summerlin to tie with George McNeill and Chad Campbell on a regulation total of 19-under-par. Laird had taken the lead when he reached 20-under after a birdie on the 16th. But a bogey on the 17th dropped him back into a tie and extra holes were required.

There was nothing to separate the three after the first play-off hole but Campbell dropped out of the running with a bogey at the par-3 17th (the second extra hole.)

"I didn't play that well today," said Campbell. "I was able to hang around and make some putts and make some birdies to get myself into the play-off. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to get it done."

Laird and McNeill (the 2007 winner) went on to the 18th where Laird holed an 11-foot birdie putt for the victory after McNeill had missed an 18-foot par effort.

"When I got into the playoff I was surprised," Laird said. "I kind of chilled out a little. I was pretty nervous the last two or three holes in regulation, and once I got there in the playoff I kind of relaxed a little more."

Jim Furyk fired an excellent closing round of 62 to move into a tie for fourth place with Jeff Klauk.

Justin Timberlake Shriners Hospitals for Children Open TPC Summerlin, Las Vegas, Nevada Oct 15-18, purse $4,200,000, par 71

1    Martin Laird (Sco)    63    67    67    68    265    $756,000 T2    Chad Campbell (USA)    67    62    67    69    265    $369,600 T2    George McNeill (USA)    66    69    63    67    265    $369,600 T4    Jim Furyk (USA)        64    67    73    62    266    $184,800 T4    Jeff Klauk (USA)        65    67    66    68    266    $184,800 6    Charley Hoffman (USA)    66    69    64    68    267    $151,200 T7    Rickie Fowler (USA)    67    64    69    68    268    $113,700 T7    Matt Kuchar (USA)    66    64    72    66    268    $113,700 T7    Ryan Moore (USA)    67    63    70    68    268    $113,700 T7    Tom Pernice Jr (USA)    62    69    68    69    268    $113,700 T7    Tim Petrovic (USA)    65    68    72    63    268    $113,700 T7    Andres Romero (Arg)    68    69    67    64    268    $113,700 T7    D.J. Trahan (USA)    71    65    65    67    268    $113,700

Player scores listed in bold signifies Titleist ball usage only Where next? Lee Westwood wins Portugal Masters

Fergus Bisset
Fergus Bisset
Contributing Editor

Fergus is Golf Monthly's resident expert on the history of the game and has written extensively on that subject. He is a golf obsessive and 1-handicapper. Growing up in the North East of Scotland, golf runs through his veins and his passion for the sport was bolstered during his time at St Andrews university studying history. He went on to earn a post graduate diploma from the London School of Journalism. Fergus has worked for Golf Monthly since 2004 and has written two books on the game; "Great Golf Debates" together with Jezz Ellwood of Golf Monthly and the history section of "The Ultimate Golf Book" together with Neil Tappin , also of Golf Monthly. 

Fergus once shanked a ball from just over Granny Clark's Wynd on the 18th of the Old Course that struck the St Andrews Golf Club and rebounded into the Valley of Sin, from where he saved par. Who says there's no golfing god?

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