Briny

Baird

The 47-year-old still has the original nine starts to earn 72.240 FedExCup points or $96,029. His last full season was 2014 where he finished 141st in the FEC standings on 17 starts, so if, and when, he returns, would have conditional status were he not to meet the terms of his medical. Since Baird’s last start (anywhere) was over five years and five months ago, and his long-term back woes aborted three attempted comebacks, you have to wonder if he’s just biding time until his 50th birthday (May 11, 2022) and give the elder tour a try.

He hit 11 (of 14) fairways and 15 greens en route to an eagle and seven birdies today. Prior to his eagle-2 at the drivable 17th hole where he rolled in a putt from 15'2", Baird converted birdies of 30'2", 13'4", 24'8" and 17'4" at the first, eighth, ninth and 12th holes, respectively. When he signed his card, he led the field in putting. At 148th on the money list entering this week, Baird is in an extremely tenuous position, so he’ll be chasing more than just his first PGA TOUR victory on Sunday.

Baird posted two birdies, with a bogey, in his opening nine holes and at the turn he still held a one-stroke lead. On the back nine he was soon tie and surpassed by Bryce Molder, but Baird rallied with a birdie at the par-5 15th and a chip-in eagle at the par-4 17th to retake the lead. A playoff resulted when Molder birdied the final hole and Baird parred the hole. The playoff saw three holes played at the short par-4 17th and each time Molder missed an eagle putt to win. The first two times at the par-4 18th Baird missed birdie putts to win, but the third time at the hole Baird found the rough with a errant teeshot and made a nice two-putt par from 65-feet. Molder found the fairway at the final playoff hole, and then after putting his approach to six-feet of the cup, he sank his birdie putt for the championship.

His top 10 at the Frys.com Open opened the door for the exemption, but he’s comfortably inside the top-125 bubble in earnings at 93rd. He was listed as the ninth alternate when the field was published on Friday.

Baird played in the last three events, cashing in all. However, he failed to post a top 55 during the stretch. He’ll now prep for his second appearance at THE PLAYERS (T16, 2007).

Baird, who turned 40 years of age today, was 3-over-par on his round and 7-over for the tournament when he walked off. If he’s able, he’ll try again at next week’s HP Byron Nelson Championship.

Baird has never won in 357 PGA TOUR starts, but one of his five second-place finishes occured in the 2009 edition of the Heritage. While it has been a bit of a struggle this season, he does rank 27th in driving accuracy which could explain some of his past success at Harbour Town.

After concluding 2011 with a bang to regain fully exempt status on the PGA TOUR, Baird has fizzled early this season, missing three cuts in as many starts.

This commitment comes with a question mark. He was scratched from the Memorial on Tuesday due to a lingering injury in his left shoulder. Even if he returns, he is not a smart investment in formats that reward good play. His only top 30 of six paydays in 13 starts this year was a T12 at the Mayakoba. Furthermore, he’s 3-for-8 at TPC Southwind with one top 40 (T5, 2006).

Not a surprise given the injury to his left shoulder. If he has any fantasy owners remaining, they should consider a replacement.