RBC Heritage: India’s Anirban Lahiri slips in second round, but makes cut

By PTI

HILTON HEAD ISLAND: India’s Anirban Lahiri carded two-over 73 in swirling windy conditions in the second round but still managed to make the cut with a total of even par 142 at the RBC Heritage here.

Lahiri is currently lying T-56th, 24 places below the first day’s T-32. He missed at least three putts from 10 feet or less, as against the first day when he did not miss any inside 10 feet. The wind at times was more than 20 mph and it played a big role.

FedExCup champion Patrick Cantlay picked birdies on the final four holes for a four-under 67 and took a two-stroke lead over Robert Streb. After dropping back with bogeys on the 11th and 14th holes, Cantlay turned it around on the most difficult stretch at Harbour Town Golf Links with the late birdie run in strong wind.

Cantlay had a nine-under 133 total. Streb also had a 67. Top stars missing the weekend action included Dustin Johnson (71-72) and Cameron Smith (73-70). Lahiri found just 8 of the 14 fairways and 10 of 18 greens in regulation.

He started with a birdie on the second, where he hit a 282 yard drive on the 550-yard hole. Lahiri chipped his third shot to four feet, which he rolled for a one-putt birdie. He then bogeyed the 200-yard par-3 fourth, where he missed a putt from 10-feet for a par.

Then on the 195-yard par-3 seventh, Lahiri’s approach went 33 yards to the green where he rolled a two-putt for bogey. He had yet another bogey on the 473-yard par-4 eighth and was 2-over for the round. Lahiri had a birdie on the 373-yard par-4 13th hole, where he reached the green in two and holed a 17-foot putt for birdie.

He had another birdie on Par-3 14th. On the 15th, he missed a par putt from five feet and on the 17th he had a three-putt after missing a putt again from five-feet for a par. This put Lahiri at 2-over for the round.

Cantlay’s excellent iron play and a hot putter gave him birdies from 15-18, considered the most difficult stretch of the course at Harbour Town Links. Robert Streb (67) was second at seven-under 135. Cameron Young went from his eye-popping debut of 63 on Thursday to a 73.

Still, it was good enough for T-3. Joel Dahmen, Cameron Tringale, Erik van Rooyen and Aaron Wise were also Tied 3rd, three shots behind Cantlay. Six other players were a stroke behind at 5-under and they included three-time major champion Jordan Spieth and past RBC winner Matt Kuchar.

Spieth had a 68, and Kuchar shot 69. As many as 33 players are within six shots of Cantlay.