Martin Laird will go into the Masters aiming to strengthen his claims for a Ryder Cup place.
Scot out to represent Europe in Chicago
Martin Laird will go into the Masters aiming to strengthen his claims for a Ryder Cup place.
The Scot is on the verge of breaking into the world's top-20 having won the second PGA Tour title of his career in the build up to the opening major of the year.
However with the Arizona-based 28-year-old opting not to be European Tour member this season, it means that he will be initially ineligible for points when the race for the Ryder Cup places gets underway in five months.
And with Jose Maria Olazabal only allowed two wild cards for the event in Chicago, Laird knows he will have to keep making an impression on the PGA Tour.
"I made enough money (over £212,000) in five events last year for a full European card," said Laird, who would need to play in 13 Order of Merit events to retain European Tour membership.
"I've never going to complain about doing too well, but I was told I had to play 12 events (it is now 13) this year to stay a member.
"If you don't you're suspended, so I had to actually give it up this year and I intend to become an affiliate member again next year.
Improved
"Making the Ryder Cup would be one of the biggest, if not the biggest achievement in my career.
"Just because I've been over here (in America) since 2000 doesn't mean I don't think of myself as Scottish and European.
"Especially the way my game's improved, it's gone from being kind of an outside thought to definitely now it's on the radar."
First up for Laird would be an impressive showing at Augusta - although it is 32 years since a player won on his Masters debut.
Fuzzy Zoeller achieved that feat in 1979, following on from Gene Sarazen in 1935.
But Laird is pleased with how things went over his practice round.
"Every time you play you pick something up," he said.
"I played with Craig Stadler (winner in 1982) and he was good in telling me things, but it's one of those courses where you don't learn a lot until you make a mistake yourself."
