BARRACUDA CHAMPIONSHIP

July 17, 2022

Martin Laird

Tahoe Mountain Club

Quick Quotes

Q. Martin, I know you don't walk away with a win today, but you did walk away with your best finish of the season. Walk me through this week and how it feels to accomplish that.

MARTIN LAIRD: Yeah, very happy with how I played. Really tough out there in the wind. It was gusting all over the place. I think I started five or six back of Chez, so I knew he was obviously playing really well. I'd have to play a pretty special round today to catch him.

Overall I played really nicely this week. I putted really well, which has kind of been holding me back this year, so really looking forward to the next few weeks and then into the Playoffs.

Q. Solo third; what does that do for you going forward and what's next for you here on the PGA TOUR?

MARTIN LAIRD: Yeah, I'm going to play the 3M next week in Minnesota. Looking forward to that. Then probably a week off and play Wyndham and then into the Playoffs.

Like I said, my game -- I've been hitting it great all year. I've been struggling putting big time. The last three, four tournaments my putting has been on a nice gradual improvement, and this week I putted really nicely, so if I keep that going I'm looking forward to what could be a good final few tournaments.

Q. Finishing solo third, what does that do for you heading into the 3M and your confidence in your game?

MARTIN LAIRD: Yeah, obviously very confident. Like I said, I feel like my game has been pretty good for a while. It was funny this week, my family has been out and I've literally not done any practice, just had a very relaxed week and had my best week of the year.

There's a lot to be said for that. Sometimes we kind of get stuck in a rut and almost try and practice our way out of it, and sometimes it's the opposite; you just need to kind of get away. I'm kind of going to take that philosophy the next few week and just kind of be a lot more relaxed and go and enjoy it.

Q. How often does your family come out with you?

MARTIN LAIRD: They used to travel a lot when they were younger, almost every week, but now my kids are in school, and with COVID they didn't travel for a couple years, so this is actually the first tournament they've been to since THE PLAYERS when it got canceled in March 2020.

It's been really nice. We came out early, so we've been here for eight, nine days just enjoying the mountains, enjoying being up here in Truckee. I'd never played this golf course. I really enjoyed the old venue, but this Old Greenwood golf course is fantastic. It's a really good fun golf course for this format, so look forward to coming back.

Q. Any hiking or adventuring?

MARTIN LAIRD: Not for me. My knee is kind of messed up. I wasn't even sure I was going to play this week. I had a cortisone shot in my knee last week to just even be able to be here, so I've definitely not been doing any hiking, but my family has been away enjoying the mountains and doing those things for sure.

Q. Did you change putters or technique?

MARTIN LAIRD: No, just been working hard. Changed putters a couple months ago, but I've seen it kind of improving, and like I said, hard work, and it's turning around.

Q. I know you were kind of on the bubble for the Playoffs. Your exempt status was secure, but what's it mean to know that you're in the Playoffs; you don't need to worry about that?

MARTIN LAIRD: Yeah, obviously with four tournaments left as I was coming in here, I was pretty confident I was going to get in or stay in because I was playing well, but this takes care of it. I'll probably take one of the tournaments off now and enjoy a week at home and get ready and rested up for going into the FedExCup, which if you go in there playing well, anything can happen.