Lahiri survives roller-coaster round to make cut

Lahiri, who shot a superb five-under 67 in the second round went up and down throughout his day with five birdies, four bogeys and one double bogey.

Lahiri was tied 68th at the end of the third round of the AT & T Byron Nelson golf tournament.

India’s Anirban Lahiri had a roller-coaster ride for most part of the day but in the end managed to survive to ensure an action in the final round of the AT&T Byron Nelson golf tournament here.

Lahiri, who shot a superb five-under 67 in the second round went up and down throughout his day with five birdies, four bogeys and one double bogey.

Lahiri, who was three-under and tied 59th at the end of the second round dropped to tied 68th as top 70 and ties made the 54-hole cut, which was applied as more than 78 players made it past the 36-hole cut yesterday.

With more than 78 players making the 36-hole cut — there were 83 players — a 54-hole cut took place yesterday reducing the field to 74 professionals at low 70 and ties. That came at two-under 208 or better.

Brooks Koepka overcame two early bogeys and a sea of Jordan Spieth bobbleheads to shoot a five-under 65 and matching the AT&T Byron Nelson’s best 54-hole score at 16-under 194. He moved into a two-stroke lead over Spieth going into the final round when they will be paired together again.

Lahiri called his round a “tale of two nines“.

“I got off to a horror start (with a double bogey on 11th after starting from 10th). Then I then tried to force the issue. It backfired badly on me,” he said.

“But the back nine was excellent ball striking. I had a couple of bad breaks but should have shot five-under on the back nine itself. Anyway I survived to see another day (making the 54-hole cut). Hopefully, I have saved the best for last.

Overall, it really was a tale of two nines,” Lahiri added.

Spieth played his first PGA TOUR event at the AT&T Byron Nelson as a 16-year-old amateur six years ago. Ane, he is now the World No. 2 ranked player and his image is everywhere at TPC Four Seasons, including those bobbleheads.

Playing in the final threesome with Spieth and second-round leader Ben Crane, Koepka hit his first drive way left on the way to an opening bogey. There were birdies at No. 3 and 5, but Koepka followed with another bogey at No. 6 when he hit his first two shots into the rough.

But Koepka was bogey-free for the rest of the day and took the lead with a 20-foot birdie at the difficult 405-yard 14th hole. Spieth drained a 23-foot putt there to salvage a bogey after hitting his drive into the water and having to punch a shot back into the fairway.

Matt Kuchar (65), Bud Cauley (68) and Sergio Garcia (68) were tied for third at 13—under. Crane, who turned 40 in March, shot 72 and dropped to 10-under and in a tie for 11th.