(Reuters) – Martin Laird sank a birdie putt on the second playoff hole to win the Shriners Hospitals for Children Open in Las Vegas on Sunday, the Scot’s fourth PGA Tour title and first since 2013.
With sunlight fading at TPC Summerlin, the 37-year-old drilled in a tricky 12-footer to beat Austin Cook and Matthew Wolff.
“It’s been a while,” said Laird, who had knee surgery five months ago.
“Seven years since my last one. I’m feeling now that my game is as good as it has been. I’ve been playing well the last few weeks, I just haven’t had results.
“I love it here. I’m going to really enjoy this one.”
Laird, who also won the tournament in 2009, had a chance to win in regulation but bogeyed the par-four 18th when his putt stopped just shy of the hole, leaving him in a three-way tie with Americans Wolff and Cook at 23-under 261.
All three players parred the 18th, the first extra hole, before Cook and Wolff’s birdie putts missed on the par-three 17th, opening the door for Laird.
Earlier in his round Laird also had the shot of the day after his second to the par-five ninth found the greenside bunker and buried itself deep in the sand.
Laird kept his composure and as a cloud of sand flew into the air, his ball rolled into the hole for eagle, moving him to 23-under for the tournament before he went even par on the back nine.
(Reporting by Rory Carroll in Los Angeles, editing by Ed Osmond/Peter Rutherford)
