AT LAST I CAN SHOW MY KIDS A TROPHY
MARTIN LAIRD hopes his Shriners Hospital for Children Open success will finally silence two of his harshest critics – his kids Jack and Hannah.
The new top world-ranked Scot ended winless drought of more than seven years with his weekend win in Las Vegas.
And asked where this fourth PGA Tour victory stacks up in his career, Laird said: “I don’t know right now but when I sit back and think about it, this one might go right to the top just because it’s been a while.
“I’ve had a bunch of life changes since my last win. Now I’ve got a couple of kids and they’d see the ones I previously won when weren’t born, so they kept asking when I was going to win a trophy?
“There are a lot of the doors open with the win and The Masters is one of the nice perks.”
It had been 2744 days since Laird won the 2013 Valero Texas Open and with victory affording the Scot virtually a threeyear exemption given his win was in the fifth event of the new 2020-21 season.
Victory also lifts Laird up a remarkable 270 spots to the new world No.88 and
Scotland’s top-ranked male golfer in what is his highest world ranking since missing the cut in the 2017 Scottish Open.
Struggling Robert MacIntyre has dropped 13 spots since his return from the lockdown to be now ranked No.94.
It was Laird’s caddie Ryan Hogue’s first time on the bag and the Arizona professional earns at least 10 per cent of the Scot’s £967,500 first prize cheque.
Laird said: “I’ve known Ryan for a long time. I’ve played a lot of golf with him and he really knows my game.”