MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. — Martin Laird didn’t find out he was in the Myrtle Beach Classic until Monday. Three days later, he tied his personal-best with nine birdies in a 7-under 64 that gave him a one-shot lead Thursday in only his second PGA Tour start of the year.Aaron Rai and Keita Nakajima, a former No. 1 amateur in the world, were at 65.Laird has four PGA Tour victories, the last one in Las Vegas in the fall of 2020. He got in when Andrew Putnam qualified for the $20 million signature event at Quail Hollow and withdrew from Myrtle Beach, opening a spot.Laird has been bouncing between the Korn Ferry Tour and whatever PGA Tour events he can get in, which hasn’t been much. His only other start was in the Puerto Rico Open, where he tied for 57th.“Obviously a huge opportunity,” the 43-year-old Laird said. “Any time you get to play in a PGA Tour event even at my age is still great. It’s been fine going back and forth, but it’s hard sometimes to jump back and forth because you don’t really know w …
