First-round 63 puts Laird a shot off the pace in Las Vegas

Published on Friday 16 October 2009 22:54

SCOTLAND’S Martin Laird made a solid start to the Justin Timberlake Shriners Hospitals for Children Open at TPC Summerlin in Las Vegas with an opening eight-under-par 63.

Glasgow-born Laird, who finished tied for second in the Legends Reno-Taho Open in August, is tied with Bob Heintz, just a shot behind overnight leaders Tom Pernice Jnr, Troy Matteson and Spencer Levin.

Fifty-year-old Pernice, a winner on the Champions Tour at the SAS Championship last month, laid down the gauntlet with a bogey-free nine-under-par 62 and was joined by Matteson, the 2006 winner, who fired ten birdies and an eagle.

“I got off to a really good start, which was nice, and continued to have a really good round,” Pernice said.

“Good, quality iron shots first really set it up. The iron shots really were the key. And the conditions are perfect here.”

Levin joined the pair at the top of the leaderboard late in the day, seven birdies and an eagle ensuring the 25-year-old Californian enjoyed a career-best round on the PGA Tour. His previous best – a 63 – came earlier this year in Milwaukee.

Three-time Las Vegas winner Jim Furyk recovered from two early bogeys to fire a 64 and claim a share of sixth place alongside Scott Piercy.

“It was a slow start, but I don’t know if it was a rough start,” Furyk said. “You just have to stay patient. A lot of it is your mental frame. I was one-under par after eight holes today.

“I really got it going, making a nice birdie on 18. I then hit it close on one, two, three and four and was able to birdie those holes.”

Tim Petrovic, Jeff Klauk, Kirk Triplett, Briny Baird and Robert Garrigus finished the opening round at six under par.