PGA Tour – Martin Laird claims first title in seven years

PGA Tour – Martin Laird claims first title in seven years

Martin Laird clinched his fourth PGA Tour title with a dramatic victory over Matthew Wolff and Austin Cook at the Shriners Hospitals for Children Open in Las Vegas, on the second play-off hole.

Final Round Overview

Laird started the day sharing the lead with American Patrick Cantlay, with Wolff only two shots back after making three eagles on the back nine.

The Scot would par his first five holes before a couple of birdies on the sixth and seventh stretched his lead to two shots over a congested leaderboard. The 37-year-old then bounced back from a first dropped shot in 45 holes at the eighth to open up a three-shot lead with a sensational eagle hole out at the ninth.

Laird went on to bogey the 10^th with nearest challenger, Austin Cook, making a birdie at 12 to cut the lead down to only one shot.

Cook then birdied the par-five 13th to earn a share of the lead with Laird, before he cancelled out a bogey at the 14th with a birdie at the 15th to trail by one shot, after the Scott birdied the 13th.

Wolff had been slowly crawling up the leaderboard throughout the day, and a third birdie at the 13^th momentarily brought him to within a shot of Laird. The 21-year-old then drove the green at the 15th before he holed his birdie putt to get within two of the leader.

Cook, in the meantime, had made birdie on the 17th and then safely parred the 18th to set the clubhouse target at 23 under.

Wolff continued to maintain the pressure as he took advantage of a huge drive and a fantastic wedge shot to hole an eagle putt at the 16^th.

The 21-year-old would then have near misses for birdie at the final two holes. Consequently, he tied with Cook and was made to wait and see whether a play-off would be required.

A few holes back, Laird three-putted the 16^th, missing a chance to create a two-shot cushion, and, despite a miraculous par save at the 17th to retain his slender lead, he was unable to get up and down for par to claim victory outright.

In the play-off, all three men made par at the first hole then, at the next, Laird sealed the deal by producing a miraculous 25-foot-putt that moved sharply from right to left.

This was the second time that Laird has won this event, both coming in a playoff. The win was also his first since the Valero Texas Open back in 2013.

“When I sit back and think about it, this win might go right to the top just because it's been a while.”

It took seven years, but Martin Laird is back in the winner’s circle. ?https://t.co/1XStD3PqY8

— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) October 12, 2020

Notable Performances

There were notable performances for Mexico’s Abraham Ancer, who finished in outright fourth place on 20 under par after a closing 67.

Meanwhile, Bryson DeChambeau, playing for the last time before next month’s Masters, had earlier posted a five-under 66, which included an eagle at the 15th, to finish at eighteen under and tied for eighth place.

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