Indian golfer Anirban Lahiri started well, only to give away shots on the back nine to end up with a modest even-par 72 and lie tied 73rd after the first round of the Safeway Open.
Lahiri chipped in once from 45 feet, made a couple of 17-footer for birdies, but missed three -- one each from inside four feet, six feet and eight feet -- for three costly shots.
Lahiri, who has made one cut and missed one in two starts in the new 2019-20 season, hit 12 of 18 greens but was not able to convert many of the chances that came his way.
Starting from the back nine, Lahiri birdied the 10th when he chipped in from 45 feet in the rough for a great start.
However, he gave away shots on 11th and 12th, the latter from just over five feet. He made two great birdies from 17 feet and more on 14th and 16th and had another birdie on 17th.
On the second nine, he missed from inside four feet for bogey on second. He also dropped shots on third and seventh, but closed with a birdie on ninth, two-putting from over 40 feet.
- Bhullar starts well at Dunhill Links, Sharma trails -
Indian golfer Gaganjeet Bhullar made a perfect start with three birdies on the trot but cooled off thereafter to be tied 53rd with a three-under 68 in the first round of the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship here.
Bhullar still has to play at St. Andrews and Carnoustie. Fellow Indian Shubhankar Sharma shot one-under 71 and was way down in the 104th place on Thursday.
“It is my third time here and I struck the ball well, but the winds can be tricky here. I started with three straight birdies but had a bad bogey on 18th and before that on sixth which was my only bad tee shot,” Bhullar said.
“I found most of fairways, I think 13 of the 14. Though it was a great atmosphere, it is a big event for us professionals. Hopefully I can get it better at St. Andrews in the second round,” he added.
Bhullar, who had two more birdies after his first three, endured bogeys on the sixth and 18th.
Sharma, who played the Open at Carnoustie last year, had a rough day despite starting on 10th with a birdie at Kingsbarns.
He added a second on 17th, but gave it back on 18th. On the second nine he birdied first, third and sixth, but bogeyed the second and seventh for a 71.
- Tvesa Malik best Indian at Mediterranean Open golf -
India’s Tvesa Malik salvaged her start with a birdie-birdie finish that saw her card two-over 73 in the opening round of the Estrella Damm Mediterranean Ladies Open golf tournament here.
Malik is lying tied 35th and is the best placed of the four playing here this week.
Aditi Ashok (74) at tied 48th, Diksha Dagar (75) at tied 61st and Astha Madan (81) at tied 108th are the other Indians in the field.
Malik did well to make up some ground after being four-over through 10 holes and will look to improving on that ahead of her own Open, the Hero Women’s Indian Open.
Aditi had five bogeys against two birdies and three of her bogeys came in succession on fifth, sixth and seventh holes. Diksha had three birdies against five bogeys and a double on Par-4 13th.
- Gangjee takes lead in Japan, Sandhu gets hole-in-one -
Defending champion Rahil Gangjee moved into sole lead at the Panasonic Open Golf Championship with a flawless eight-under 63 while Ajeetesh Sandhu climbed to tied sixth here on Friday.
Sandhu holed an ace and then parred the next six before snatching a final birdie on way to 66.
Viraj Madappa (74-68) at tied 58th also made the cut, while Shiv Kapur (72-71) was one shot off the projected line at even par with some players yet to finish.
Khalin Joshi (71-73) and S Chikkarangappa (71-75) missed the cut.
“Yesterday I was trying hard to stay patient. I just wanted to finish under-par and it was nice to finish with that eagle (on Day1). I had a good feeling coming back today. I know the birdies are there. You just need to go get them,” Gangjee said.
“I started holing putts today and the birdies just kept coming and then I lost track of it. It’s nice to lose track once in a while. Putting was the main difference but I hit it pretty good too,” added Gangjee, who was tied 10th at Fujisankei Classic and tied 18th at Shinhan Donghae Open in his last two starts.
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