Irish finding form as Masters looms large

Rory McIlroy and Pádraig Harrington, two of Ireland’s five challengers in this week’s Masters, honed their skills ahead of Augusta with impressive performances as they remained very much in contention for the major prizes entering the closing holes in the Valero Texas Open in San Antonio.

However, the 31 year-old Martin Laird, a native of Glasgow who plies his trade on the US PGA and won the Arnold Palmer Invitational in 2011, was just two ahead of McIlroy as an exciting tournament came to an exciting climax.

After Saturday’s third round, McIlroy was four off the lead and when he reached the turn yesterday in 33, three under, he was only just one off the pace. There didn’t seem to be anything amiss with his golf swing or his new Nike golf clubs and indeed if anything it was a relatively cold putter that prevented him from getting to the head of affairs.