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WASTE MANAGEMENT PHOENIX OPEN

January 31, 2015

Martin Laird

SCOTTSDALE, ARIZONA

THE MODERATOR: Welcome Martin Laird. You got it to 13-under today. Enter the final round of the Waste Management Phoenix Open with a three-shot lead. Talk about your thoughts on the round today and we will have questions.

MARTIN LAIRD: Yeah, today was a little different than the first two rounds. First two rounds I played really solid, nice golf. Today was a little bit of everything. Hit some of the best shots I have had all week and also hit some of the worst shots. I had fun out there. It's always nice when you're making some putts, and I poured in a few nice ones today. You know, obviously happy to extend my lead to the top and know I have to play a little better tomorrow if I want to win.

Q. You were pretty upset about Frys. What's it like to get back into that position and hopefully make amends?
MARTIN LAIRD: Yeah, that was the first tournament in a while where I really felt like I kind of let one go. I had a great chance to win, and then didn't play great on Sunday or really on the weekend. As you said, I was a little frustrated leaving that tournament, but that's a good sign when you finish third and you're a little frustrated. I have been practicing hard and getting ready. I really like this stretch of tournaments I've got here and obviously like playing at home and being here. I was looking forward to this week.

Q. For all the birdies you made, the pars on 16 and 18 seemed like they were fairly critical going forward.
MARTIN LAIRD: Yeah, the one on 16 especially. I just bogied 15, had a poor tee shot there, and didn't think I had that bad a tee shot. 16 I was trying to stay aggressive, and you have a wedge and a par-3, you should be going right at it and missed the pin by two, three yards left and went in the bunker. You know, I had been putting well all day and I said to myself, Just give yourself a chance. Don't get cute here leaving the bunker. It was awfully nice to roll in that 15-footer with about two feet of break. That was a big one. You don't want to make two bogeys in a row at two holes you're looking at maybe making birdies on, and then, as you said, 17 made birdie. So it was nice.

Q. You made a ton of putts like that that you had to make. Were you doing anything different or special?
MARTIN LAIRD: No, I mean, I have putted solid the first two days. I didn't really miss any I felt like I should have made. I just really didn't make any. I don't think I made maybe one over 10, 12 feet. The first two rounds I was just hitting it really good. You know, same last week. My caddy and I have been talking about it. I feel like I've been putting really well, and it's one of those things, just keep doing what you're doing, and one day it's going to get good and go in. That just happened to be today for me. I poured in a lot of putts today. 5 from the fringe was a big one for bogey. 11 from the fringe was a big one. It's nice, it's fun. I had fun out there watching the ball go in the hole. That definitely makes golf enjoyable.

Q. How long have you had your wrist taped up there?
MARTIN LAIRD: I tweaked it on Thursday on the golf course my last few holes on Thursday. It's nothing big. Just taped it yesterday, and it seemed to help it a little bit, and, you know, after I get the treatment on it in the morning it's fine. It's just when I get up in the morning it's a little stiff. Yeah, I don't even notice it out there. It makes it feel a little better when I have it on there.

Q. Was there a certain shot that you felt it?
MARTIN LAIRD: No, that's the thing. Thursday I don't remember going after one in the rough or anything. Last three holes I just kind of felt a sharp pain in my wrist. And, you know, it's fine now, though. That's been getting better. It's not an issue.

Q. Is there any reason why you think you have always won tournaments in odd years and not followed up the following?
MARTIN LAIRD: I don't know. I mean, it has happened. Just every odd year. No, I don't know. I mean, it's not like after I win I take the next year off and don't practice. It's just hard to win and, you know, just happened to be it's been every two years for me.

Q. Was it a first for you at all to tee off in the last group on a Saturday with two guys who were in high school a couple of years ago?
MARTIN LAIRD: Yeah, I know. I felt like an old man in the group at 32. It's been a long time since I have been the first one hitting every shot every hole, too. Those guys, two great young players, obviously. You know, not scared to give it a rip and play aggressive, which is the way golf is now, and obviously they're both doing it right if they're in that situation. We had fun out there. As I said, two nice guys. I'm sure we will be hearing a lot about them in the future.

Q. Tomorrow you have a couple of others who are just slightly older at 22 and 24. Is this just the way it is now?
MARTIN LAIRD: I think this might just be the way it is. You know, I guess you call them kids, 19, 20. When they come out, they're ready to go. They don't need three or four years to get used to the tour life or used to the golf courses. I don't think they get intimidated at all anymore. They come out ready to go, put their foot down and go. That's why there is a lot of them about. It's a great thing for golf.

Q. Were your ears ringing coming off the course?
MARTIN LAIRD: It just, you know, keeps you amped up. Let's just say you shouldn't be struggling to have a little adrenaline out there in those last few holes.

Q. Living around here, what's this week like for you? How many ticket requests? How much gallery did you have out there for you?
MARTIN LAIRD: Yeah, you know, it's great obviously being at home, home week. Ticket requests aren't crazy, but it's a good number. It's one of those things actually when the tournament starts it gets a little quieter for me this week. There's a lot goes on before it, people and time and things. It was nice last night after I finished I went home and sat on the sofa and watched TV and ate my dinner and relaxed. That was nice rather than having to go find somewhere to eat and stay in a hotel. It is definitely a benefit, a week like this, where it's kind of chaos everywhere around town, to be able to go home and get away from it.

Q. What was for dinner last night?
MARTIN LAIRD: I had spaghetti bolognese.
FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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