THE OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP

July 18, 2013

Martin Laird

Q. (Inaudible).
MARTIN LAIRD: It doesn't seem there is as many low scores this afternoon, I think because of the greens.

Q. Is that as fast as you've played on?
MARTIN LAIRD: No, I've played on faster. To be honest, this is more what I like. Last week I said the greens aren't fast enough. It's definitely not an issue this week. I putted well today. I feel more comfortable on these greens. I don't have to think of the speed, I just feel the speed. Whereas last week I reminded myself to hit it. This week I can go over and see the putt and feel it, which is obviously going to lead to better putting, hopefully.

Q. (Inaudible.)
MARTIN LAIRD: Oh, yeah, definitely. I played really well today. I didn't have very good shots at the first, and then after that, I had a couple of poorish shots in the middle of my round there, but apart from that I played really well. As you can see, there's not much green left on that golf course. It's very, very fast and firm. So anything under par this afternoon I think is a good round.

Q. (Inaudible.)
MARTIN LAIRD: You know, I hit a really nice shot into par-3, on 4. I hit it into about 8, 10 feet. And birdied the next hole. And that was kind of nice. But actually probably after bogeying the first, I had a great shot into 2 about three feet. It's nice to get one right back. And I just played well today.

Q. (Inaudible.)
MARTIN LAIRD: Definitely. I mean, yeah, playing the shots. I mean, like for example, there on 17, I had 240 yards and hit a 6-iron ten yards past the pin. It was easier to pull the club knowing having a week's practice of landing it. Some of the clubs you have to choose out here when it's this firm and windy. It's comical how far you can hit it because it starts bouncing and doesn't stop for a while.

Q. (Inaudible.)
MARTIN LAIRD: It's not. It's fun. And I think some links courses when they get this fast and firm, I don't think they're fun, because you can hit a good shot and you think it's perfect, and then you end up in a bunker beside the green or missed a fairway. So that's why this is such a great golf course. For example, on 17 today I had a good tee shot and it was going to be in the fairway, and then I hit my second shot, I started walking, because you know it's going to bounce forward and do what you're expecting to do. You're not going to see it kick straight right and end up in a bunker. It's really hard to hit it close, but if you hit good shots, you can hit it close. You can use the bumps and the slopes to do it. No, I had a lot of fun today, yeah.