Martin Laird for 2012 Ryder Cup?

An artical in the local press today. Martin Laird is targetting the 2012 Ryder Cup. I assume last years world ranking points did not count as he was not a member of the ET, but his points at the weekend for 2nd place put him at 40th in the world ranking points table.

His limited number of starts in ET probably means the world ranking points is his best chance of making the team on merit, but getting into the top 5 will be very, very difficult.

I therefore assume his best chance will be a pick. Would you pick him if he has a decent year and say maintains his current ranking of 33 (or there abouts).

I think he must have a good chance of getting one of the picks. Full time in US, long hitter and a young player who should only get better.

Overheard yesterday on GC one of those guys (maybe Rex Hoggard?) saying that Laird told him in December that he is very very keen to make the Ryder Cup this year, so based on that you can expect to see a much more determined Laird this season... Hard to give a definite answer, at the moment, looking at the owgr at least, he's 13th EU player and if you assume that the automatic qualifiers will come from those above him, than he would certainly be in the cards for one of the picks. If he has a very good spell in the weeks before the deadline and plays like he did last week and is still in this owgr position, I can't see any reason why not to pick him... But if he is climbing further now in the rankings and then in the weeks before the deadline starts to move down the table and is not playing as well, it'll be tough even if he is still around this position...

Long shot in my opinion. Who knows though there is potential there.

If it was being played in Europe I would not give him a Webb Simpson prayer, but he seems to have performed pretty consistently in the US for some time now and could very much fill the berth likely vacated by Casey's injury.

There is a half dozen nailed on certainties, Donald, Westwood, Poulter, Garcia, McIlroy and Kaymer. Laird could perhaps qualify or possibly get a captains pick.

Wouldn't be my pick.

Brian Davis would be a better choice.

Just because Laird has said he wants to play in the Ryder Cup, doesn't mean he will. He still has to meet the ET requirements to play a certain number of events.

Has the ET changed the qualifying for this year's event World Rankings before Europe Rankings ?

It has changed it so that its European Tour Earnings and then World Ranking points, which means that world ranking points are in effect the more important ones now.

Laird is now an affiliate member of the ET so will play in the cup if manages to qualify with enough World Ranking points, regardless of the number of European Tour appearances he makes. His punishment for not meeting the minimum requirement would kick in next year.

But will be very hard to qualify for the team, especially missing 4 months of points. Although he didnt play particulary often or well during that time so hasnt lost too much ground (15 points or something).

Laird has also said that he will play mostly in Europe over the summer, starting with the PGA at Wentworth.

Looks like he has a pretty steep hill to climb, in his words he needs at least one win, probably two, and implies that he wouldn't expect to be a Captain's Choice.

Can't see why "Brian Davis would be a better choice", Setup, a far inferior record to Laird (and Freddie Jacobson) in the US these past three years.

But Laird will be battling in the World Points category with Casey, Rose, Poulter, Karlsson and others; it's difficult to feel confident about his chances.
WGC's and early Majors will be crucial.

As much as I would like to see Laird qualify for the Ryder Cup this year, it will mean he is going to have to have quite an exceptional 8 months of golf. So far he's proving that he is a Top50 golfer but to get into the team he is going to try make it inside the world's Top20 at least and stay there.

A captain's pick wouldn't be a bad move by Olly but I suppose it all depends who is already in the side come August. Laird is comfortable playing in America and probably racks up more birdies than anyone else on tour which in matchplay is a useful tool to have. It's his putting from inside 10 feet I have concerns with. If he can improve on that then he'd be a great addition to the team.

Would be nice if he could make the side for Gleneagles in 2014 though. I can imagine the crowd would be pretty patriotic if a Scot was playing on home soil.

Hope not, cheat stick users should be banned from the RC.

EmmDee57 wrote:Would be nice if he could make the side for Gleneagles in 2014 though. I can imagine the crowd would be pretty patriotic if a Scot was playing on home soil.

Alex Salmond would love that as well I'm sure. A winning Ryder Cup team in Scotland, with a Scot in the team (and ideally making a key contribution) surely wouldn't do any harm in building up nationalistic fervour shortly before a referendum on independence, would it?

Alex Salmond is a scumbag, setting a date for 2014 purely because he currently doesn't have enough support, whilst trying to allow 16/17 year olds to vote is desperation.
I cannot bear the Braveheart agenda of the SNP.

delToro87 wrote:

EmmDee57 wrote:Would be nice if he could make the side for Gleneagles in 2014 though. I can imagine the crowd would be pretty patriotic if a Scot was playing on home soil.

Alex Salmond would love that as well I'm sure. A winning Ryder Cup team in Scotland, with a Scot in the team (and ideally making a key contribution) surely wouldn't do any harm in building up nationalistic fervour shortly before a referendum on independence, would it?

The timing is just out. Slamond has proposed August 2014 and the Ryder Cup is September 2014.

I can't see us voting for independance but I respect the views of those that support it. Looks like this week is the start of the 18 month campagn. Feels more like the US Election - goes on for too long and nobody knows the final choice till half half way through the process.

ScottieD18 wrote:The timing is just out. Slamond has proposed August 2014 and the Ryder Cup is September 2014.

Ah, so just after the Glasgow Commonwealth Games then. The organisers for that are going to be under lots of pressure to get it right!

I'm voting no for Independence.

Diggers, even with a "cheat stick" in his hand, I'm still never confident when Laird is over a putt. By the time 2014 Cup comes around, there'll be a fair few of the 24 players using them I bet.

Is Laird trying to get on the US team for the Ryder Cup?

raycastleunited wrote:Is Laird trying to get on the US team for the Ryder Cup?

A bit below the belt there.

He bases himself in the US the same as Luke Donald for similar reasons. He has not been a ET member because he has been securing his US membership and learning his trade during his first 3 years as a pro. He is now established in the game which gives him the opportunity to join the ET, which he has done.

Paraphrasing Lewis Hamilton, "Is it cause I'm Scottish."

Moved Scotland/devo/independence/Salmod stuff to D4S thread...