Laird nets major spot after Lowry glory

Martin Laird has qualified for this week’s US PGA Championship courtesy of Shane Lowry’s victory in the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational.

Laird was first reserve for the year’s final major and will now tee it up at Whistling Straits on Thursday after being given the green light to compete.

The winner of the Bridgestone Invitational automatically qualifies for the prestigious event but Lowry had already secured his sport and so Scotland’s Laird will enjoy his third outing in the tournament.

The Glaswegian ace has been based in the USA since 2008 and has enjoyed success, with three titles under his belt already

His results in the US PGA Championship are modest, with a share of 48th in 2010, while he finished joint-42nd two years later, and the 32-year-old will hope to do something about that this time around.

Laird’s inclusion means there will be seven Scots in the field, with Stephen Gallacher, Marc Warren, Richie Ramsay Russell Knox, Colin Montgomerie and the little-known Steven Young – a club professional based in the States since 1995 – all set for a play in Wisconsin.

Tagged Martin Laird, PGA Championship, Shane Lowry, US PGA Championship, Whistling Straits