MARTIN LAIRD ONLY JT 38TH
AFTER 71 IN NZ PGA EVENT

Former Scottish youths champion Martin Laird was lying in joint 38th place with a one-under-par 71 after the first round of the New Zealand PGA championship at Clearwater Resort, Christchurch.
Laird, who spent four years on the American college circuit as a student at Colorado State University, had birdies at the third, fifth, seventh and 12th but dropped shots at the eighth, ninth and 10th in halves of 35 (one under par) and 36 (level).
The Hilton Park Golf Club member, pictured right, could not get a birdie putt to drop in the closing stages and parred the last six holes.
American Ryan Howison led the field with a seven-under-par 65, one shot ahead of Australia's Peter Senior.
Ireland's Keith Nolan had a 73.