LAIRD JOINT 49TH IN NZ PGA

CHAMPIONSHIP

Martin Laird, a former Scottish youths amateur champion from Glasgow, finished joint 49th in the New Zealand PGA championship at Clearwater Resort, Christchurch today.
Hilton Park GC member Laird, 24, who spent four years on the American college circuit as a student at Colorado State University, shot a final round of one-under-par 71, birdieing the sixth and parring every other hole, for a four-over-par total of 292. His earlier rounds in a weather-distrupted tournament were 71, 75 and 75.
American Nicholas Thompson, pictured above, born on Christmas Day, 1982 at Coral Springs, Florida, and Canadian David Morland tied at the top of the leaderboard on eight-under 280. Thompson, who had birdied the last two holes, won a sudden-death play-off with a par at the first extra hole.

The HSBC New Zealand PGA championship is part of the US Nationwide Tour.

LEADING FINAL TOTALS
Par 288 (4 x 72)
280 Nicholas Thompson (US) 69 73 70 68, David Morland (Can) 70 72 70 68.
281 Michael Letzig (US) 69 68 79 65, Lee Williamson (US) 70 69 73 69.
Other total:
292 Martin Laird (Sco) 71 75 75 71 (jt 49th).