Rocket Mortgage Classic: Anirban Lahiri makes the cut in Detroit

Lahiri, who recently qualified for his second Olympics, is getting his game together steadily even though he is still leaving a lot of shots on the greens.

India's Anirban Lahiri in action: File Picture

Olympic-bound Indian golfer Anirban Lahiri shot a three-under 69 in the second round to make the cut at the Rocket Mortgage Classic.

Lahiri, who recently qualified for his second Olympics, is getting his game together steadily even though he is still leaving a lot of shots on the greens.

The Indian is now four-under 140 and Tied-46th after two days.

Lahiri's playing partner England's Tom Lewis (-10) and Chilean Joaquin Niemann share the 36-hole lead. Neither co-leader has made a bogey through 36 holes.

Lahiri's high point of the day was at the 425-yard par-4 10th, where he reached the green in two and rolled a 37-foot putt for birdie and it seemed to bring a spring in his walk.

 

On the par-4 12th, Lahiri's 162-yard approach to 13 feet set himself up for the birdie on the hole. This moved Lahiri to 2 under for the round.

He two-putted from seven feet for bogey on the par-4 13th. Amidst some par saves and birdie misses, Lahiri turned in 1-under and then had back-to-back birdies on second and third to get to 3-under.

That was good enough to make the cut on a day when the wind picked up considerably during the second round with gusts to 25 mph that made the relatively easy course more challenging.

Yet Lahiri, who last won at the 2015 Hero Indian Open on European Tour, would have felt hungry and disappointed as he missed at least three putts inside eight feet.

He missed a 7-footer for par on 13th and then an eight-footer for birdie on 16th and again a seven-footer for birdie on 17th. Over the last six holes, he was short with his approaches but managed pars.

 

The tournament suffered a big blow when the 2021 Masters Tournament champion Hideki Matsuyama, who carded 70 in first round was forced to withdraw before the start of his round after testing positive for COVID-19.

The 2021 PGA Champion Phil Mickelson (69-72) played the final two holes in 1-under to make the cut on the number in his tournament debut. Patrick Reed also was on the cut line at 3 under after rounds of 69 and 72.

Defending champion Bryson DeChambeau missed the cut for the second time this season. He shot 72-71.

Troy Merritt, Chris Kirk, and Max Homa are tied for third at 9-under.