Martin Laird birdied the third playoff hole
Sunday to defeat George McNeill and Chad Campbell to win the Justin Timberlake
Shriners Hospitals for Children Open.
Laird rolled in an 11-foot par putt on the 18th hole in regulation to close a
round of three-under 68. That put him into a playoff with McNeill, who was
already in the clubhouse after a four-under 67.
Campbell, playing alongside Laird, two-putted from 50 feet for par and a two-
under 69. That got Campbell into the extra session as the three ended at 19-
under-par 265 and it was back to No. 18 to start the playoff.
On the first extra hole, McNeill missed the green, but got up and down for
par. Campbell and Laird both two-putted for their pars and they headed to the
17th at the TPC Summerlin.
On the par-three 17th, Laird and Campbell both hit their tee shots over the
green, while McNeill's stopped 20 feet short of the hole. Laird chipped within
two feet, then Campbell played his to four feet.
After McNeill missed his birdie try, Campbell dropped out of the playoff as he
missed his short par putt. McNeill and Laird tapped in for par and they moved
back to No. 18 for the third extra hole.
Both players missed the fairway, then McNeill pulled his approach nearly into
the pond left of the green. Laird's approach stopped 12 feet from the hole.
With one foot standing in the pond, McNeill chipped his third shot onto the
green. From about 17 feet, McNeill missed his par-saving putt, then watched
Laird shut the door.
Laird drained his 12-footer for birdie and his first PGA Tour title as well as
the $756,000 first-place paycheck. With the win, he also secures his PGA Tour
card for the next two years.
"I don't know, that's what I was surprised about all day," said Laird about
how calm he was all day. "The most nervous I was was the first two holes
there. I was amazed how calm I was coming down the stretch."
Jim Furyk, a two-time winner, closed with a 10-under 62 to miss the playoff by
a stroke. He shared fourth with Jeff Klauk (68) at 18-under-par 266. Charley
Hoffman (68) was one stroke further back at minus-17.
Campbell was trying to become the first UNLV alum to win this event. He
birdied the first to take the lead at minus-18. After a bogey on the fourth,
Campbell rolled in a birdie try on No. 5.
After six pars around the turn, Campbell traded a bogey for a birdie from the
12th. He got to 19-under with a birdie at the 16th. He trailed Laird by one,
but Laird dropped a shot late to force the playoff.
Laird stumbled to a bogey on the second. However, he flew up the leaderboard
with three birdies in a four-hole span from the fourth.
The Scotsman birdied the par-five ninth to take the lead at 19-under. He
stayed right there with six consecutive pars.
Laird birdied the par-five 16th to move one ahead on Campbell and Scott
Piercy. Laird fell into a share of the lead with a bogey on the 17th, then
parred the last before he claimed the title in the playoff.
"I had to go for it," said Laird of his second shot to the par-five 16th.
"With an iron in, I was going to go for it regardless and it was a perfect
number. That was probably the best swing I ever made because that wasn't a
good wind for me off the left."
McNeill had three birdies and a bogey on both nines to get into his first PGA
Tour playoff.
Matt Kuchar (66), Tom Pernice, Jr. (69), Tim Petrovic (63), Ryan Moore (68),
D.J. Trahan (67), Andres Romero (64) and Rickie Fowler (68) shared seventh
place at 16-under-par 268.
Piercy double-bogeyed the final two holes to share 14th at minus-15. He was
trying to become the first Las Vegas resident to win the event.
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