Sunday, August 29, 2010

Laird loses to Kuchar in play-off

Final leaderboard:
-12
M Kuchar (US), M Laird (Sco) * Kuchar wins after play-off
-10 S Stricker (US), K Streelman (US) -9 R Sabbatini (SA), V Taylor (US), R Palmer (US) J Day (Aus), Selected others: -7 T Woods (US), P Casey (Eng) -6 L Donald (Eng), I Poulter (Eng) J Rose (Eng) -1 P Harrington (Ire) +1 R McIlroy (NI)


Martin Laird
Laird's performance at the final hole cost him dearly

Scotland's Martin Laird lost out in a play-off to American Matt Kuchar after a disappointing finish to his final round at the Barclays FedEx Cup event.

Laird had led by five shots at one stage on the final day but three-putted from inside 25 feet at the 18th.

On the first play-off hole, Kuchar hit a shot that hit the slope and rolled 30 inches from the cup for a birdie and his first win of the year.

Paul Casey ended five adrift at seven under alongside Tiger Woods.

Casey finished highest of the so-called "FedEx four" - himself, Padraig Harrington, Luke Donald and Justin Rose - who all opted to play in the US instead of travelling to Scotland for the final Ryder Cup qualifying event.

But the Englishman was overlooked by European captain Colin Montgomerie, who named Harrington, Donald and Edoardo Molinari as his three wildcards.

Donald carded a final round of 68 for six under, but after starting with six birdies in a row, he leaked five bogeys after the turn to finish alongside Rose (72) and Ian Poulter (70) in a tie for 15th.

Ireland's Harrington finished with a disappointing four-over round of 75 to finish one under for the event.

Laird began the final round with a three-shot lead and soon extended that to five with birdies at the opening two holes, only to then run up a double-bogey seven on the third and then bogey the fourth.

After reaching the turn in 36, one over par, the 27-year-old regrouped and birdied the 12th and 17th to take a one-shot lead to the 72nd hole. But with two putts to win the title, he sent his birdie attempt seven feet past the hole and missed the one coming back.

That gave Laird a closing 71 and left him tied with Kuchar on 12 under par after the American Ryder Cup debutant set the clubhouse target with a final round of 66.

The pair returned to the par-four 18th for the first play-off hole and both missed the fairway off the tee, Kuchar to the left and Laird to the right.

However, Kuchar's approach ran up the green and almost over the back before curling back towards the hole and eventually finishing just two feet from the cup.

Laird also found the green and this time two-putted for par, but it was not enough as Kuchar tapped in for birdie to claim victory.

"It's obviously not the finish I would have liked but I am very proud of the way I played today," Laird said. "I was battling all day and I holed two or three big putts just to be where I was.

"I'm not too upset with my three putt on the last because I didn't think I hit my first one too hard, I just had no idea how fast that putt was.

"The last thing I wanted to do was trickle it down there and leave it three feet short down the hill. I felt good and had just holed a bit putt on 17 and was just trying to stay calm."

Woods, who started the play-offs at 112 in the standings, moved up to 65th to easily make the top 100 who advance to the second of the four play-off events next week at the Deutsche Bank Championship.

"I haven't won all year, but this is a week that I was very close," said Woods, who has been working with coach Sean Foley.

"I felt that if I would have putted better for all four days, I would have been right there. Looking forward to next week."

The top 75 in the standings in Boston will go onto the BMW Championship with the top 30 progressing to the season-ending Tour Championship to compete for the $10m (£6.4m) FedEx Cup prize.

Potenshöjande medel - köp cialis receptfritt

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