SHRINERS HOSPITALS FOR CHILDREN OPEN

October 10, 2020

Martin Laird

TPC Summerlin

Quick Quotes

Q. Good ball striking for you today. Every fairway, almost all the greens. How good a round was this for you?

MARTIN LAIRD: Yeah, played nice. You know, I've been hitting it great all week. Hit it really good the first two days. My game is in a good spot, and was hopping to go out and do the same today. It was definitely a little trickier with the breeze picking up and it was swirling on the front nine.

But I really played nicely tee to green. Picked my spots where I could be aggressive, and then just kind of played save on some holes. It was a little nice day, because it was a little tricky out there for a little while.

Q. I notice when you try to line a putt up and stuff you're not getting down on that left knee. You get down on the right knee. How solid is the left? Are you just being cautious?

MARTIN LAIRD: That's the only thing I can't do. I can't sit down on my heels to read a putt. I don't feel anything swinging or walking. Literally the only thing that bugs it is like squatting down sitting on my heels to read a putt, so I've got to kind of get down on my knee. Feel like a bit of an old man out here doing that.

Not, it's not an issue at all. I don't think about it in terms of playing all day. It's fine to hit balls with and stuff. Not an issue.

Q. Thoughts on tomorrow? Obviously some guys are probably going to come out early and go low? Going to be in the final group again with Patrick.

MARTIN LAIRD: Yeah, we had a good day today obviously. It was fun out there. You know, more of the same tomorrow. I don't know what the conditions will be like. I think it's going to be a little breezy, maybe not quite as much as today.

But same game plan for me. Just pick my spots and keep hitting a lot of fairways and get the ball on the green. I feel like I'm putting pretty good, so give myself some looks and see what happens.

Q. (In progress.)

MARTIN LAIRD: Yeah, I played really nicely. It was -- got a little tricky in spells. The wind was kind of swirling on the front nine; the back nine settled in a little bit. It was a more consistent direction, which made it a little bit easier.

Really happy, hit the ball nicely; got the ball in the fairway a lot, which is what you got to do around here. If you get it if the fairway you can be aggressive. All around solid round all aspects. Looking forward to tomorrow.

Q. Does it help when you know this course so well? You've won here. Does it help when the wind picks up a little bit and you know the way to play this golf course?

MARTIN LAIRD: Yeah, I've played here not just -- obviously had a good time when I won here, but I've played here -- I think this is my 14th year playing here, so I know this course really well. Obviously seen it and seen a lot of wind and kind of know the spots you want hit it and spots you want to avoid.

Definitely helps when it gets a little blustery like it did on our front nine. I felt comfortable out here. I really enjoy playing this golf course. My game is in a good spot, so it's been fun so far. Hopefully have fun tomorrow.

Q. Mentality on Sunday knowing there is a bunch of guys on the leaderboard, guys are a couple shots ahead. Is there one thing you'll truly focus on?

MARTIN LAIRD: More of the same. I have had good rounds every day, so I'm not going to change anything. More of the same. Pick my spots, be aggressive when you've got a wedge in your hand to the fairway, and some other holes just the middle of the green is never a bad place.

I'm not going to change anything because it's been working and I'm in a good spot, so just keep going.

Q. (In progress.)

MARTIN LAIRD: It was fun. Played nice. Enjoyed being out here. Yeah, it was fun. Me and Patrick had a good day.

Q. Patrick talked about all the different scoring levels. He's played this enough times to know where they are. Does it change at all on Sunday knowing you have one day left?

MARTIN LAIRD: No, not at all. My game plan that I've got here, I've kind of played this course the same for years. I've had some success here and it's worked the first three days. Today there was maybe a couple holes where on the front nine it was getting a little breezy where you couldn't maybe be as aggressive as you wanted.

No, I mean, same game plan as first three days. It's been working; no reason to change.

Q. Does it feel like 11 years ago?

MARTIN LAIRD: Some days. I mean, no, I mean, it's flown by obviously. I mean, really it's crazy. I think this is my 14th season and it's hard to believe. It doesn't feel it. I mean, we're lucky to be out here and be at it this long.

Q. There was an injury -- I'm drawing a blank here -- how recent was that?

MARTIN LAIRD: I had knee surgery in June.

Q. In June?

MARTIN LAIRD: Yeah. So I had a torn meniscus. The week before we were supposed to come back my left knee went.

Q. Thank God you didn't wait until end. So just happened right before the return?

MARTIN LAIRD: Yeah. So, you know, I just had three months off. It happened because I was practicing and playing a ton getting ready to come back and then it went. It was pretty hard for a couple weeks, not going to lie, because I was -- you're kind of chomping at the bit to get back out and then I was on the sofa for at least a month before I could really do much.

But I took advantage of it. Lots of family time and in the end it worked out great. It really was the best season to have something like that happen with the status rolling over. I didn't have to taking a -- I didn't even take a medical. My status was the same. Didn't take a medical.

One thing I did notice is I was so excited to get back to start the new season and all the guys that had started in June and were playing all the way through were all a little worn out.

So there is always a positive.

Q. Are you still in Scottsdale?

MARTIN LAIRD: No, we moved. We moved in May to Denver?

Q. Glad I asked.

MARTIN LAIRD: Just my wife is from Colorado; I went to school there. Always wanted raise our kids there. Been in Arizona a while. I was kind of over the heat.

Q. So you went there in May? The reason I asked is I was trying to figure out how much golf you'd been able to play.

MARTIN LAIRD: I played a little bit during the shutdown, not too much. I would play, and then when I got to Denver I really started playing.

Q. So it was open when you got to Denver?

MARTIN LAIRD: Yeah, yeah. I was playing -- the clubhouses weren't open, but the courses were open. I could go practice and play. Was playing a bunch and got injured. It's all good. Makes you appreciate it more when you come back.

Q. Where are you playing out of?

MARTIN LAIRD: Cherry Hills.