Brian Stuard and Anirban Lahiri. Pic: Getty Images/ PGA Tour
Napa, California, Sep 13: Anirban Lahiri kept his card clear of bogeys for the second day running as he carded five-under 67 that was highlighted by an eagle on the 18th in the third round of the Safeway Open golf.
The bogey free 67 took Lahiri to 10-under for 54 holes and he is now Tied-33rd in a low scoring event, where Brian Stuard finished with a scrambling birdie for a 6-under 66 and a share of the lead with James Hahn (67) and Cameron Percy (68). The eleading trio was 16-under, while overnight leader, Sam Burns (72) shot even par and was still at 15-under but was T-4 with Kristoffer Ventura (66) and Harry Higgs (70).
Lahiri, whose last bogey came on his ninth hole in the first round, where he started from the 10th, has now played 45 holes without a bogey. He hit 15 of the 18 greens in regulation during his third round.
Lahiri started the day with a string of four pars, before reaching the green in two and two-putting from 69 feet for a birdie on par-5 fifth. Lahiri continued to be steady and had a birdie chance on seventh, when his 15-foot attempt slipped past two inches. But on the ninth, he holed a 10-footer to turn in two-under. An excellent approach from 134-yards saw him land his second shot less than two feet for a third birdie. The next four holes he hit his second shot to be between 20 and 30 feet and he two-putted all of them for pars. On 17th, he had a birdie chance from 13-feet but two-putted again. Finally on the Par-5 18th, Lahiri hit a brilliant second shot from 269-yards to nine feet and he holed it for a closing eagle.
Indian-Americans Sahith Theegala carded a superb and flawless 8-under 64 to rise to T-12, while 18-year-old Akshay Bhatia emulated his first round 66 to get to 12-under and T-18.
Stuard, who began the day five shots off the lead, hit only 10 of 14 fairways off the tee and had six birdies, including three straight on the front nine.
Hahn needed 28 putts and had five birdies against no bogeys while Percy had a 68 with six birdies and two bogeys.
Third-round leader Sam Burns struggled to a 72 that left him tied with Kristoffer Ventura (66) and Harry Higgs (70) at 15 under.
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