Laird proud to be only Scot

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June 16, 2009

Martin Laird says he will go into this week’s US Open at Bethpage Black proud to be flying the flag for Scotland.

Martin Laird says he will go into this week’s US Open at Bethpage Black proud to be flying the flag for Scotland.
The 26-year-old from Glasgow will be the lone Scot in the field for the second major of the year and it is a mantle he is perfectly happy with.
“I didn’t you know until a few days ago and it’s a shame that I’m the only Scotsman,” Laird said. “At the same time I’m proud to be the only Scotsman.
“Hopefully I can put up a good performance because I’m sure there’ll be a lot of people in Scotland watching, not just to watch me but to watch the US Open and it will be good to have my name up there.”
Arizona-based Laird, whose home club is Hilton Park, just north of Glasgow, graduated from Colorado State University in 2004 and has yet to play a professional event on the European Tour.
The Scot got his first taste of the par-70, 7,426-yard Bethpage Black course yesterday in between showers and thunderstorms that curtailed practice late in the afternoon.
“It’s my first time here and it’s very good,” he continued. “It’s playing very long with all the rain here and drivers are just stopping where they land.
“It’s a big golf course, that’s the reputation it’s got and it certainly was the case today.”
Despite failing to reach the weekend at last week’s St Jude Classic in Tennessee, his first missed halfway cut since April, Laird is happy with his game going into the US Open.
He said: “I’m starting to play nicely and I’m hitting the ball really good. I missed the cut by one last week in Memphis but it was one of those cuts where I played well and got nothing out of it.
“It might be a blessing in disguise because I got here a couple of days early and got a little rest.
“I’m feeling my game is coming around nicely so I’m looking forward to it.”
Laird is continuing to feel the benefits of working with a new coach, having made the switch in April after missing eight cuts from his first nine events of the year.
The move reaped immediate dividends as he claimed a top-25 finish at the Zurich Classic of New Orleans.
“I’ve been playing nice and I just need to throw that one good round in, just one good Saturday or Sunday round and I’ll be fine,” Laird said.
“But I’m still happy, working with the same guy, doing some good stuff and looking forward to this week.”