	products recent interviews FastScripts archive about ASAP Sports

Our Clients:

Browse by Sport

Find us on

Subscribe to RSS

Click to go to
Asaptext.com

View our
e-Brochure

WASTE MANAGEMENT PHOENIX OPEN

January 30, 2015

Martin Laird

SCOTTSDALE, ARIZONA

THE MODERATOR: Welcome Martin Laird to the media center. Four birdies in five holes in the back 9 gives you a two-shot lead at this point. Tell us what's working for you out there so far.

MARTIN LAIRD: Yeah, you know, no coincidence that four birdies in five holes came on the back when the rain stopped and got a little easier out there. That front 9 was brutal. We were hitting drivers 250 yards and having 5-irons into holes we are normally hitting wedges and sand wedges into. I played really, really well today obviously. I think the big thing was I drove it well. I missed a couple of fairways towards the end of the round, but generally on those holes, I mean, doesn't matter who is in the field. You have to hit a fairway if you want to get there in two. I did today, and that was probably the thing that gave me the chance the most was I drove it most in the fairway.

Q. Are you comfortable in these kind of conditions?
MARTIN LAIRD: You know, it's always a joke how many times when it rains I get the little phrase, "just like home, "or, you know, but I have lived over here for 14 years now. So, I mean, I remember playing in these conditions, but I really haven't played in them much, not really all of my professional career. So, you know, I wouldn't say it's a huge advantage for me anymore, but, you know, I just knew -- conditions like that, you have to put your head down and fight away and try and make pars. This is normally a golf course you're making birdies. You're just trying to make pars and maybe sneak a couple of birdies. I would say I have definitely gone soft from when I first came over here.

Q. How many days have you played like this, in this kind of weather, in Arizona?
MARTIN LAIRD: In Arizona? You know, the weather is so good here, but I actually I don't play golf in Arizona. I really don't remember a day where it's just been that kind of drizzle. It was a very Scottish day today with the kind of misty drizzle all day. It would go off and then rain heavy and drizzle for a few holes. I don't think I have ever played here when it's like that. We get rain, but it's not sort of an all-day thing.

Q. Talk about that stretch of 4 through 5. You had a good look at 14, which is a difficult hole.
MARTIN LAIRD: Yeah, I missed the fairway, but I missed it on the right side there. That was one of the hardest holes if not the hardest hole on the course now. I missed on the left rough. I had a decent enough lie. I had a 7-iron. I think I had 178 yards or something to the pin. Came out right at it. Had a good look there and just misread it a little bit. Yeah, I had a nice stretch, two of the par-5s, one hit in to tap-in range. Other one made a nice putt. And 16 was probably the best shot all day in terms of it's a tough pin, but it was a perfect number for an 8-iron. I wasn't going to kind of back off in the middle of the green. The weather got better and you could start firing. I hit a great shot in there five, six feet and made that.

Q. When did the rain stop?
MARTIN LAIRD: Maybe the par-5 13. Maybe about then.

Q. You hadn't had a bogey until the final hole. Does it matter to you that you finished that way, or were you just glad to get the round done?
MARTIN LAIRD: No, I mean, obviously you never want to make a bogey. In other words, I had a poor tee shot. Someone had been a little overserved and shouted at my back swing and I kind of blocked it right. Popped up a 3-wood because of that. From there, I still -- you know, I still got front of the green in two and really should have got that one up and down. Obviously disappointed. That was a goal today was try to go out there and play as tightly a round as possible. I didn't think no bogeys, but it's one fact that I held off for 17 holes. I'm very pleased with it. And obviously a little disappointed, but I'm not complaining. 5-under is a hell of a lot better today than 5-under was yesterday.

Q. What was said during your back swing? Was it the typical mashed potatoes, or...
MARTIN LAIRD: No. Someone just shouted. I don't think they -- they just shouted something. I don't know.

Q. How important is it to finish tonight rather than come back tomorrow?
MARTIN LAIRD: Yeah. That's very nice. I mean, you know, it was still okay on the last -- I don't mind hitting the shots. It's the putting. When I got to 18 we could still read the putt. It wasn't because of dark I missed it. I had a great putt. I just kind of bumped the edge. Yeah, it's nice to have a little lie-in or as much of a lie-in as you will get tomorrow. I didn't want to be out here early and play the last hole. That's for sure.

Q. Where do you play most of your golf here in Phoenix?
MARTIN LAIRD: I'm a member at Estancia, just up the road. I practice out here quite a bit, too. If I'm going to hit balls, I will come out here and go to the back of the range and get some work done. It's a great spot to come practice and I live five minutes away. If I'm going to play, that's where I play at.

Q. Is it true that Bubba holds all the records at Estancia?
MARTIN LAIRD: I believe he does hold all the course records. I have never played from the senior tees like he does. I don't hold that one (laughter).
FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

ASAP Sports, Inc. | T: 1.212 385 0297