Valero Texas Open 2013: Day 4 Leaderboard Analysis, Highlights and More

Billy Horschel had the lead headed into Day 4 of the 2013 Valero Texas Open, but the field came roaring back, with none other than Martin Laird ultimately emerging to the top at TPC San Antonio.

It was a phenomenal last day for Laird, who was a complete shocker as the winner. The 30-year-old was five strokes back from the lead entering the day, but exploded on Sunday, finishing with three consecutive birdies en route to a 14-under-par 274.

This is Laird's first PGA Tour win since capturing the Arnold Palmer Invitational in March 2011. He has punched his ticket to the 2013 Masters with the victory.

Position	Player	Score
1	Martin Laird	-14
2	Rory McIlroy	-12
T3	Jim Furyk	-11
T3	Billy Horschel	-11
T3	Charley Hoffman	-11
6	K.J. Choi	-9
T7	Daniel Summerhays	-8
T7	Jeff Overton	-8
T7	Bob Estes	-8
T10	Martin Flores	-7

*Padraig Harrington and Marcel Siem also finished with a -7. Check out PGATour.com for the complete leaderboard.

Laird came into the 2013 Valero Texas Open as the No. 117 player in the world. He had made the cut in five of eight PGA Tour events this year, with no top-10 finishes. He missed the cut at his previous tournament, the Houston Open.

That was after posting three top-10 finishes in 22 PGA Tour events last year (no wins).

In that sense, it was quite the surprise that the 30-year-old played so well in the tournament. The only thing that could have portended that he would perform well at the Valero Texas Open was the fact that he finished ninth at the tournament in 2011 (his only career appearance in the event). 

Through his first nine holes, Laird had notched five birdies and no bogeys and had earned a share of the lead with Horschel. He finished with four more birdies down the stretch, posting a nine-under for the day (63).

Rory McIlroy entered Day 4 four strokes back from the lead. After four birdies (albeit one bogey) on the front nine, he found himself with a nine-under for the tournament heading down the final stretch. He notched four more birdies (one bogey) on the back nine to finish with a six-under 66 for the day.

The world No. 2 had one top-10 finish in four PGA Tour events coming into the tournament and had placed 45th at the Houston Open in March.

Jim Furyk was two strokes back heading into Sunday's action. He posted even par on the front nine, but finished strong, notching a birdie at hole No. 13 and a fantastic eagle at No. 18.

Furyk had posted one top-10 finish in six PGA Tour events headed into the tournament. That included a seventh-place finish at the Tampa Bay Championship (formerly the Transitions Championship). But he placed 65th at the Arnold Palmer Invitational in late March.

Horschel entered the day with a two-stroke lead at 10-under 211, but in his first nine holes he went even par, notching one birdie and one bogey along the way. That allowed the field to creep up the leaderboard. He went one-under the rest of the way to finish the tournament tied for third place.

K.J. Choi finished with a nine-under 279, scoring a four-under 68 on Sunday (five birdies, one bogey). That included a birdie on hole No. 18 to end the day.

After Sunday's action, Choi has posted two top-10 finishes in nine PGA Tour events this year. The 42-year-old finished in the top 10 at the Masters in 2010 and 2011.

Highlights

Want a highlight? How about a hole-in-one? Greg Chalmers aced No. 16 on Sunday, driving the ball 199 yards straight into the hole with a six iron.

Rory McIlroy hit a nice recovery shot near some cactus at hole No. 4, but he paid the price. Who said golf isn't a contact sport? 

Jim Furyk nailed a 38-foot putt on hole No. 6 as he attempted to make up some ground.

Peter Hanson followed up a solid 268-yard shot with a 17-foot putt for eagle at hole No. 18.

Furyk wasn't the only one who hit a long putt on Sunday, though. Padraig Harrington nailed an uphill, winding 37-foot birdie putt at hole No. 7.

McIlroy certainly had an odd day. After the youngster encountered some unfriendly cactus at hole No. 4, Ryan Palmer actually knocked his ball off the green with a bunker shot at hole No. 5.