Indian golfer Anirban Lahiri continued to be tormented by his putter as he managed only a two-over 74 in the first round of the Memorial at Muirfield Village course here.
Lahiri, who has been struggling with his scoring, was lying tied-62nd after 18 holes as he tried to snap a streak of missed cuts. He has missed last three cuts on the trot.
Lahiri opened with a lot of hope as he birdied the first, but bogeys on fifth and ninth meant he turned in one-over. A birdie on 10th brought him back to par, but bogeys on 13th and 17th pushed him back to two-over. Among his painful misses were two insides seven feet, one for birdies and another for par. He also missed four others between 15 and 20 feet.
Jason Dufner was in great form as he gave himself a birdie putt at virtually every hole until the last one where he bogeyed. Even with a bogey on the final hole, Dufner had a 7-under 65 giving him a tie for the lead with David Lingmerth. They were one shot ahead of Jordan Spieth, whose short game was finally looking good as the US Open neared.
Dustin Johnson and Jason Day had a rough time. Johnson did not make a single birdie in his round of 78. Day made bogeys on both par 5s on the back nine and was headed for a big score until he birdied his last two holes for a 75.
Daniel Summerhays joined Spieth at 66, while Justin Thomas and Lucas Glover were at 67. Phil Mickelson and Rickie Fowler shot 70 each.
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