FIRST PAUL LAWRIE, THEN MARTIN LAIRD - A GREAT SCOTS DOUBLE

By COLIN FARQUHARSON
Colin@scottishgolfview.com
When did two Scots last win on either side of the Atlantic on the same day in the European Tour and US PGA Tour? Answer: Never ... until today!
Martin Laird completed the second leg of a tremendous double whammy for Scottish golf when he followed up Paul Lawrie's victory earlier today in the Andalucia Open by winning the Arnold Palmer Invitational at Bay Hill Club, Florida.
He is the first European to win the prestigious tournament.
Laird, under a burning Florida sun which raised the temperature into the 90s, had a sweaty, nerve-racking final round of three-over-par 75 for an eight-under-par total of 280. His cash prize was $1,080,000.
The Scot was perhaps fortunate that the leading overnight challengers struggled even more than he did on the final round.
Spencer Levin, the first-round leader, had a 76 for 286.
Bubba Watson had a 78 for 287.
Rickie Fowler also ran up a 78 for 288.
Laird's start was a bit like Paul Lawrie's in Spain. The Glasgow man bogeyed the third, short seventh and ninth to be out in three-over 39. Hardly the form of a man bidding to win his second title on the US PGA Tour.
Worse was to come for Martin. He ran up a double bogey 6 at the 11th and at that point had slumped to five over par for the round.
The difference between Laird and his rivals from there in was that he was able to claw his way out of the hole into which he had dug himself. Martin birdied the long 12th, bogeyed the short 14th but raised his game when he needed it most to birdie the 15th and the long 16th.
Then he held his nerve admirably over the last two holes with so much at stake.
A par at the 17th left him needing a par 4 at the treacherous 18th where the green is guarded by a water hazard.
Laird had his usual big, 300+ yards drive ... but into rough. He made it to the "L" shaped green only just far enough up past the adjacent water to be able to putt across the green directly at the hole.
He had to get down in two putts from 87ft - and he did. Laird rolled the first putt up to within 3ft 7in of the hole - and bravely knocked the next one in for a par 4 and a round of 75.
American Steve Marino had set the clubhouse target with a 72 for 281.
England's Justin Rose came with late rush - home in five-under 31 - for a 68 to tie for third place with Aussie Marc Leishman (71) and American Dave Toms (72).
Rose had an eagle at the long 12th and birdied the 15th, long 16th and 18h
Sergio Garcia finished with a 70 for 284 an a creditable eighth place.
Tiger Woods, closing with a par 72, tied for 24th place on 287 with Phil Mickelson (73) and Bubbw Watson.
Ernie Els, the defending champion, had a nightmare tournament. He made the cut but his lowest score was his second-round 72. He finished with a 78 for 298, 10 shots over par and a share of 70th place.

LEADING FINAL TOTALS
Par 288 (4x72)
Players from US unless stated
280 Martin Laird (Scotland) 70 65 70 75.
281 Steve Marino 71 67 71 72.
282 Justin Rose (England) 72 72 70 68, Marc Leishman (Australia) 73 72 66 71, David Toms 74 67 69 72.
283 K J Choi (S Korea) 72 64 76 71, Spencer Levin 66 70 71 76.
284 Sergio Garcia (Spain) 73 69 73 70.
Selected totals:
285 Jim Furyk 74 69 71 71 (T9).
286 Edoardo Molinari (Italy) 72 75 72 67, Ian Poulter (England) 71 71 73 71, Brian Davis (England) 70 72 71 73 (T12).
287 Tiger Woods 73 68 74 72, Phil Mickelson 70 75 69 73, Bubba Watson 70 71 68 78 (T24).
288 Rickie Fowler 69 71 70 768 (T30).
298 Ernie Els (S Africa) 75 72 73 78 (T70).