MARTIN LAIRD MISSES FOURTH CUT BUT HE'S
ON COURSE TO WIN PROMOTION TO US TOUR

Former Scottish youths champion Martin Laird has missed only his fourth cut in 19 starts on the Nationwide Tour, the No 2 men's professional circuit in the United States, with scores of 69 and 75 for level par 144 in the quaintly-named National Mining Association Pete Dye Classic at Bridgeport, West Virginia.
Martin, one of the longest drivers on circuit with an average tee shot in excess of 300yd, has not been guilty of wasting a lot of shots this season during which he has won $192,496 and chalked up a victory.
But he had a double bogey at the fifth and four bogeys, the costly last one at the 18th, to miss the cut by a single stroke.
The top 25 when the Nationwide Tour ends in early November will automatically gain the right to step up to the US PGA Tour in 2008 - as Aberdeen-born, Australian-raised Michael Sim did last year by finishing 19th on the Nationwide money list.
It is reckoned that the cut-off point to be absolutely certain of making the top 25 will be $200,000 so Martin Laird is almost there. Going into the current Nationwide tournament, the Scot was 11th on the money table.