MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. (AP) — 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.

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Matt McCarty couldn't stop making birdies.

Rory McIlroy thought he was never going to make one.

McCarty followed up four straight top 25 finishes on the PGA Tour with nine birdies at Quail Hollow to shoot an 8-under 63 on Thursday for a one-shot lead over Sungjae Im at the Truist Championship before the round was called because of rain.

Im was on his final hole when the skies opened up. He, along with a handful of others, will complete the round on Friday.

MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. (AP) — Brandt Snedeker poured in the birdies on the back nine and closed with a 5-under 66 to win the Myrtle Beach Classic on Sunday for his first PGA Tour title in nearly eight years, earning a surprising spot in the PGA Championship.

And now the Presidents Cup captain will get a closer look at his American players the rest of the year. The victory should get him into high-profile tournaments the 45-year-old Snedeker might not have been expecting.

Snedeker drove into the right trees on the 18th hole at Dunes Golf and Beach Club, pitched out to the fairway and two-putted from 30 feet for bogey.

“I feel amazing,” said Snedeker, whose last win was the Wyndham Championship in 2018. “I feel so lucky to still be out here still doing what I love to do. To have a chance to win a golf tournament at my age and to be able to pull it out is something super special. I’m just so pumped.”

MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. (AP) — Mark Hubbard birdied four of his final five holes Saturday for a 7-under 64, giving him a one-shot lead in the Myrtle Beach Classic as he goes for his first PGA Tour title and a chance to qualify for the PGA Championship next week.

Hubbard's late run of birdies, before he settled for a par on the closing hole at Dunes Golf and Beach Club, capped a day of low scoring with several players jockeying for the lead.

When it ended, eight players were within five shots of Hubbard, a group that included Brooks Koepka (64) and 45-year-old Presidents Cup captain Brandt Snedeker (67).

Hubbard was at 16-under 197, one shot ahead of Aaron Rai, who birdied four straight holes to start the back nine and closed with five straight pars for a 66.

MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. (AP) — Aaron Rai handled the tougher pins and made four birdies on his inward nine Friday for a 4-under 67, giving him a one-shot lead over Presidents Cup captain Brandt Snedeker and Mark Hubbard in the Myrtle Beach Classic.

Rai thought the Dunes Golf & Beach Club looked great on television when he watched Chris Gotterup win it two years ago, and he figured it would be a good place to play ahead of the PGA Championship next week.

He spent two days with Brooks Koepka, who shot 70 and was six shots behind, and has found the course to be to his liking.

“It’s been a lovely environment to play in actually the first two days,” Rai said. “I think being in a group with Brooks Koepka, Davis Thompson, who are both very good players ... obviously Brooks is one of the best players in the world. So it’s created a great atmosphere to play in.”