Last year’s champion takes lead at Timberlake Shriners Open

By Case Keefer (contact)

Sunday, Oct. 24, 2010 | 2:05 a.m.

Martin Laird has already proven he’s capable of chasing down the leaders on the final day of the Justin Timberlake Shriners Hospitals for Children Open.

Laird, a Scottish third-year pro, won Las Vegas’ annual PGA Tour tournament last year after starting Sunday a stroke back. Now it’s time to find out how Laird holds a lead.

Laird will enter the final round at TPC Summerlin with a one-stroke advantage after shooting an 8-under 63 Saturday. For the tournament, he’s 19-under.

“There was a lot more pressure on me last year than this year,” Laird said. “I’ll probably still be a little nervous out there at the start. I think anyone who has the lead is.”

Laird struggled on Thursday and was in the middle of the pack after going 2-under, but he was one shot from tying the course record Friday with a 9-under 62.

He built on that momentum Saturday. Laird seized the lead after he made an eagle on the par-four 15th hole. He then saved par by making a 17-foot putt the next hole, the par-five 16th, after hitting his approach shot in the water.

“I just caught it a little high on the club face and didn’t make it over the water,” Laird said. “It wasn’t a very good shot. It wasn’t even that hard of a golf shot.”

Laird will tee off at 12:45 p.m. today alongside Jonathan Byrd, who is one stroke back at 18-under.

Byrd, a 10-year PGA Tour veteran, entered Saturday’s round at the top of the leader board and shot a 5-under 66. Byrd had four birdies and one bogey Saturday.

“You can’t protect on this golf course, which I think helps you as a leader,” Laird said. “There’s a lot of courses where you know if you go out and shoot even par or 1-under, you’ll win the tournament. But this is definitely not one of them.”

History is not on the side of Laird or Byrd, who has won three tournaments in his career. A first-time tournament winner has emerged as the champion of Las Vegas’ PGA Tour event in each of the last six years.

“I would like to end that run because that means I would have picked up another trophy,” Laird said. “It’s such a great tournament for a great cause. It’s extra special if you can win."

The last time a former champion won was Stuart Appleby in 2003. The two golfers two strokes back, Webb Simpson and Cameron Percy, fit the first-time winner profile.

Percy, an Australian rookie, had the best round of the day with a 9-under 62. Simpson, who is fighting to keep his tour card at 116th on the money list, made 10 birdies Saturday after bogeying two of his first three holes.

“I told myself to stay patient and I knew the birdies would come and knew I was playing well enough to make them,” Simpson said. “They came. I don’t know if I’ve ever had 10 birdies on Tour, but it felt good.”

Laird could become only the second golfer to win Las Vegas’ PGA event multiple times. Jim Furyk has won it three times, in 1995, 1998 and 1999.

Laird was just as concerned about keeping his tour card — he was 134th on the money list — as he was winning the tournament last year. Those days are long gone.

He’s put together a consistent 2010 with a second-place finish to Matt Kuchar at The Barclays and two other top 10s. Laird took 11th in the FedEx Cup and earned $1.75 million this year.

“Any year you can get a win, obviously, will take a good year to a great year,” Laird said. “And hopefully I can do that tomorrow.”

Case Keefer can be reached at 948-2790 or [email protected]. Follow Case on Twitter at twitter.com/casekeefer.