Martin Laird confident in Brits chances to win at Masters

Martin Laird believes a whole host of British players have a legitimate chance of winning at The Masters this week.

The Scottish ace, who takes to the course with Mark O’Meara and Welsh debutant Jamie Donaldson in Thursday’s first round, said: “There’s maybe 30 guys who legitimately can win this tournament and a whole host of them are Brits. It’s not that we don’t have the players to do it.

“These things go in cycles sometimes and Brits were winning it what seemed like every year for a while, with Ian Woosnam and Sandy Lyle and Faldo obviously, and I’m sure it won’t be long before there’s Brits doing it again.”

Nick Faldo was the last British player to win at Augusta, back in 1996, but Laird believes there is a good chance that this long losing streak can be broken.

In-form Englishman Justin Rose is among the favourites, along with Northern Ireland’s Rory McIlroy, who hinted at his own return to form by finishing second to Laird in the Texas Open last week.

Laird needed last week’s win in Texas in order to qualify after a difficult time on the US PGA circuit.

“I’ve not been playing well for a good number of months now, pretty much since last summer,” explained the Glaswegian, who shot a nine-under-par 63 in the last round to take the title in Texas.

“I’ve been working hard and not really seeing results.

“I made a swing coach change at the end of last year and most times, when that happens, it takes a good few months for the work on the range and practice to come to the course.

“And it’s been a frustrating few months hitting the ball great in practice and playing and getting in tournaments and struggling.

“So it was nice to have it all click finally at Valero and come off with a round that I’ll always remember.”