Memorial Tournament: Mixed day for Indians as Lahiri makes the cut while Shubhankar falters

Dublin, June 2: Ace Indian golfer Anirban Lahiri overcame bad putting to compile a three-under 69 that allowed him to make the weekend cut comfortably at the Memorial Tournament in Dublin on Friday (June 1). Lahiri, who shot 71 in the first round, is now four-under 140 through 36 holes and is tied 35th, despite missing four putts inside 12 feet, one of them from five feet.

Stanley, Niemann lead as Spieth misses cut at Memorial

Anirban Lahiri made four birdies on his way to a 71 in the first round of the Memorial. Shubhankar endured misery at the bend, making a 76. Hideki Matsuyama in a three way tie for the lead.#growgolf #golfingindian #womengolfer #golfislove #golflifestyle pic.twitter.com/za3gJ3j2rJ

— Golf In India (@golfingindian) June 1, 2018

However, Shubhankar Sharma, who was tied 20th at the Colonial a week earlier exited with an even par second round following a 76 in the first. Chilean teenager Joaquin Niemann (68), making only his fifth start as a pro, shared the lead with Kyle Stanley (66), but the talk of the day was Tiger Woods (67).

Niemann and Stanley were 11-under 133 while An Byeong-Hun (68-67) was sole third at nine-under with five players including Hideki Matsuyama (65-71) and Jason Day (68-68) among five players in tied 4th at eight-under.

Woods (72-67) was six shots behind the leader. He played superbly before the weather delay came in. He holed out with a sand wedge from 97 yards for eagle on the par-5 11th hole, and then his tee shot on the par-3 12th struck the flag waving in the wind and settled 6 feet behind the hole. But once he came back after the weather stoppage, that lasted just under 90 minutes, he missed four putts under seven feet in last six holes.

🐅🎯#ShotOfTheDay pic.twitter.com/4iwXTi1ukE

— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) June 2, 2018

Earlier, Lahiri opened with a bogey on the first but made birdies on second, seventh and eighth without any further dropped shots as he turned in two-under. On the back nine, he found two more birdies on 12th and 15th, but dropped a shot on 13th. His birdie putt from 19 feet on 12th was his best.

But what was frustrating was that Lahiri continued to miss putts between 10-12 feet and he did that three times and once from five feet on par-5 fifth. He may well have finished birdie-birdie but for missed chances from 10 and 12 feet on 17th and 18th.

Sharma had two each of birdies - one of them on 18th, and two bogeys but his 76 spelt doom for him.