The contrast between Scotland's most famous player and one of the country's real rising stars couldn't be bigger.

Ryder Cup captain Monty hasn't finished lower than 52nd on the money list since joining the tour in 1988.

But the 46-year-old Scot is currently in 89th spot in the European Tour Order of Merit despite just missing out on a top ten finish in the Castello Masters by a single shot at the weekend.

Glaswegian Laird, meanwhile, was busy banking another $78,100 for finishing tied 13th in the Frys.com Open in Scottsdale, Arizona.

The 26-year-old last week earned $756,000 from his maiden PGA Tour win in the Shriners Open in Las Vegas.

 
His winnings from the two events add up to a staggering $834,100 or £508,800.

Rounds of 67, 72, 62 and 67 for a 12-under total left Laird six shots adrift of Troy Matteson, who beat Richie Fowler and Jamie Lovemark at the second hole of a three-way sudden death play-off.
And that took his combined earnings in just his second season on tour to an incredible $2,202,106.

He currently sits 62nd on this season's money list and is the highest ranked Scot in the world in 106th place.

Laird, the first Scot to win on US soil since Masters champion Sandy Lyle in 1988, turned pro in 2004.

But despite winning on the Mini Tour, Gateway Tour and Nationwide Tour, he has only recently come to the fore.

After making his European Tour debut in the Scottish Open and competing in the Open at Turnberry this summer, Laird returned to the States where he finished runner-up in the Legends Reno-Tahoe Open.

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