Martin Laird secures FedExCup Playoffs berth at Barracuda

TRUCKEE, Calif. – It had been two-plus years since Martin Laird had the whole family together at a PGA TOUR event – wife Meagan and two elementary school-aged kids, Jack and Hannah.

The Laird family built a vacation around the Barracuda Championship, and the competitive result worked out too.

Laird, 39, contended throughout the week at Tahoe Mountain Club (Old Greenwood) en route to a solo third-place finish, his best of the season on TOUR. The Scotland native accrued 38 points in the TOUR’s only Modified Stableford scoring event, 5 points behind winner Chez Reavie.

After beginning the week No. 126 on the FedExCup standings, very much on the bubble to secure a spot in next month’s FedExCup Playoffs, he no longer has such concerns.

Laird moves to No. 98 on the season-long standings. With three events remaining in the Regular Season, he has cemented a Playoffs berth for the 12th time.

His wife and kids were on-hand to provide congratulations, too.

“I’ve literally not done any practice, just had a very relaxed week, and had my best week of the year,” reflected Laird on the value of having his family on-site in the Sierra Nevada. “There’s a lot to be said for that. Sometimes we kind of get stuck in a rut and almost try to practice our way out of it, and sometimes it’s the opposite; you just kind of need to get away.

“I’m going to take that philosophy the next few weeks and be a lot more relaxed and go enjoy it.”

Laird and his family arrived in the region a week before the Barracuda Championship and enjoyed some vacation time together before tournament play. Laird stayed away from the hiking portion, though, due to knee trouble – “I had a cortisone shot in my knee last week to just even be able to be here,” he said.

He persevered. Despite struggling with his putting for most of the season – he entered the week at No. 188 in Strokes Gained: Putting – he has developed increased confidence on the greens through simply “hard work.”

He had no trouble making putts this week, as his 24 birdies ranked second in the field.

With renewed confidence, the four-time TOUR winner heads to next week’s 3M Open with no need to crunch numbers around scenarios for a FedExCup Playoffs berth. (He had been assured of 2022-23 exempt status regardless, due to his victory at the 2020 Shriners Children’s Open.)

“They used to travel a lot when they were younger, almost every week, but now my kids are in school, and with COVID they didn't travel for a couple years, so this is actually the first tournament they've been to since THE PLAYERS when it got canceled in March 2020,” said Laird of the family excursion. “It's been really nice. We came out early, so we've been here for eight, nine days just enjoying the mountains, enjoying being up here in Truckee.”

An enjoyable time on the course, as well.