Golfer Martin Laird addresses the audience Tuesday during media day for the 2010 Justin Timberlake Shriners Hospitals for Children Open at TPC Summerlin. Laird won the tournament in 2009.
Wednesday, Sept. 15, 2010 | 2:05 a.m.
Martin Laird entered last year’s Justin Timberlake Shriners Hospitals for Children Open desperately needing a top finish to secure a spot in the top 125 of the PGA Tour’s money list.
The top 125 earners retain their full playing privileges the following year, and with the Las Vegas stop always one of the last of the season, golfers tend to play with more urgency.
It makes for great drama on the links at TPC Summerlin.
“Guys are literally fighting for their job here,” Laird said Tuesday during an event to promote this year's event, which is Oct. 21-24.
Laird, a third-year PGA pro, entered last year’s tournament at No. 135 on the money list. He left with his first PGA tournament win, a two-year exemption and $756,000 in winnings — good enough to climb to No. 62 on the money list.
Laird won’t have to worry about jockeying for position this year. The 27-year-old from Scotland has $1,639,528 in earnings and is ninth in the FedExCup standings.
He credits some of his recent success to winning in Las Vegas. With the confidence of knowing he can win on Tour, Laird has made the cut in 16 of the 24 tournaments in 2010 and has finished in the top 10 three times.
“The year wasn't going like I'd hoped, and then I came in here and had a great week, and everything's kind of changed since then,” Laird said.
Martin Laird of Scotland jokes with entertainer Justin Timberlake after winning the 2009 Justin Timberlake Shriners Hospitals for Children Open on Sunday, Oct. 18, 2009.
The tournament is more than four days of golf.
It’s nine days of events — including a concert from Timberlake, a pro-am hosted by former UNLV golfer Charley Hoffman, a youth clinic and a women’s day — with proceeds going to the Shriners Hospitals for Children.
Laird can attest to the social aspects. Last year, he attended the Timberlake concert with his girlfriend the evening before the final round.
Instead of worrying about how he was going to erase a one-shot deficit, he relaxed at the show.
“It's such a unique tournament with Justin Timberlake putting his name on the tournament and all the great work he does, not only just the concert, but being out here all week and the amount of money and time he puts into it is fantastic,” Laird said.
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