Martin Laird gets in Myrtle Beach as an alternate and lead with a 64

MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. (AP) — Martin Laird didn’t find out he was in the Myrtle Beach Classic until Monday. Three days later, he tied his personal-best with nine birdies in a 7-under 64 that gave him a one-shot lead Thursday in only his second PGA Tour start of the year.

Aaron Rai and Keita Nakajima, a former No. 1 amateur in the world, were at 65.

Laird has four PGA Tour victories, the last one in Las Vegas in the fall of 2020. He got in when Andrew Putnam qualified for the $20 million signature event at Quail Hollow and withdrew from Myrtle Beach, opening a spot.

Laird has been bouncing between the Korn Ferry Tour and whatever PGA Tour events he can get in, which hasn’t been much. His only other start was in the Puerto Rico Open, where he tied for 57th.

“Obviously a huge opportunity,” the 43-year-old Laird said. “Any time you get to play in a PGA Tour event even at my age is still great. It’s been fine going back and forth, but it’s hard sometimes to jump back and forth because you don’t really know where you’re going and what run you’re going to have.”

It was a great run in the opening round at rain-softened Dunes Golf and Beach Club. That was a product of going to a zero-torque putter, and trusting his first read. It seemed to work as he made eight putts over 10 feet — one short of the record in the ShotLink era.

The winner gets into the PGA Championship if he is not already eligible. That’s too far off for Laird to consider after one round, but it’s been five years since Laird last played in a major.

John VanDerLaan, Paul Peterson and Mark Hubbard were at 68. Presidents Cup captain Brandt Snedeker was in the large group at 67.

“It’s quite rare to be so close to the coast but have a course that is so green and so lush,” Rai said. “We’re quite fortunate today with the wind. Didn’t really pick up a huge amount. Picked up a little bit for us on the last six holes, but I think the course plays great with a little bit of wind. I’m sure we’ll get it over the next few days, but it’s in great shape.”

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This version corrects that Putnam withdrew because he got into a signature event.

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The Associated Press