Laird of US Tour plans Scots dates

ALREADY planning to spend Christmas in Scotland with his family and friends, Martin Laird, who did just enough during his rookie season on the PGA Tour to keep his card, has pinpointed next summer's Barclays Scottish Open at Loch Lomond as the event where he hopes to make his professional debut on home turf in 2009.

Growing up in Bearsden, the former Scottish internationalist attended the home of golf's national open on a number of occasions as a spectator. However, the decision to pursue his career in America rather than Europe means Laird is still looking for his first start in Scotland.

The 25-year-old, who has a base in Scottsdale, Arizona, chose to pursue his livelihood in the US after graduating from university with a marketing degree from Colorado State. Consequently, Laird has yet to tee up on the European Tour, though he did consider making an appearance at the Dunhill Links earlier this autumn.

The battle to claim a spot among America's top 125 on the PGA Tour, however, turned out to be so intense that the Glaswegian couldn't afford to skip any of the fall series events. That dedication proved valuable as he banked $852,752 in prize money and narrowly secured a spot among the elite.

Enjoying a well-earned break in the desert sunshine, Laird said yesterday: "I do plan to come back to Scotland for a few weeks in December and spend Christmas seeing family and friends. It's been way too long since I've been home and I can't wait to get back.

"I will definitely be trying to qualify for the Open (at Turnberry] next year. If I am successful I would also definitely try to receive and exemption into the Scottish Open the week before. And, even if I don't qualify for the Open, I may still try to get back to play at Loch Lomond. I will be sitting down with my agent over the next month and working out my schedule for 2009. That is definitely something we will discuss."

While the vast majority of Laird's golf will be played in America until he rises into the world's top 50 – he's currently ranked 249th – the Scot would eventually like to emulate the kind of schedule preferred by the top Europeans and compete on both Tours.

Although his season got off to a tough start – he missed eight cuts in his first 14 events – the first Scot to play a full schedule in America since Sandy Lyle relished a year of highs and lows.

"In the end the reality of playing on the PGA Tour lived up to what I dreamed it (to be] with me playing well and managing to finish inside the top 125 at the end of the year," Laird added. "Even if it was (just] barely and a last-minute move. I had a great time playing on Tour all year but definitely enjoyed the second half of the season a lot more than the first half. It's amazing what making some putts and getting better results can do to the enjoyment of the game.

"The highlight of the year for me was probably my run into the Fed-Ex playoffs and qualifying to play in the BMW championship with the 70 hottest players on Tour at that time. It was a great experience to play in that field and gave me a lot of confidence that I belong with the best players in the world.

"I would probably say the biggest disappointment was my start to the season as I imagined that I would have enjoyed more success immediately, but it did let me know that you can't take anything for granted and you have to work hard to get where you want to be."

Laird's composure under duress was a feature of his form in the second half of the season, when he only missed one cut in 14 events. And, in order to keep his card, he had to hole an eight-foot putt on the last hole of the final tournament.

"I didn't really feel too much pressure until the final week as I was outside the top 125 and trying to fight my way in so I had nothing to lose," he reasoned. "I definitely did feel the pressure on the back nine on Sunday at Disney. Because at that point I was inside the top 125 and had to try and not let it slip."

Understandably, other than hoping to play in Scotland, Laird has yet to look too far ahead. "I haven't even wound down from the 2008 season yet so have not set any goals yet for the 2009 season. It's something I will do before I head to Hawaii in January."

According to his manager, Blake Smith, however, the Scot faces a bright future. "Martin made 13 cuts in his last 14 events with three top-ten finishes," he recalled. "That's quite an accomplishment for a 25-year-old playing the PGA Tour for the first time. He knew going into Disney that he needed a big week to secure his 2009 PGA Tour card and he delivered.

"I think Martin will have a great 2009 season. He possesses all the physical attributes that you need to be a winner on the PGA Tour and now he has a year of experience under his belt. I think you will see Martin's name on the leader- boards a lot more in 2009 and hopefully in the winner's circle as well."