Lahiri. File pic
Cromwell, CT, US June 23: Anirban Lahiri returns to action after a two-week gap as he tees up at the Travelers Championship at TPC River Highlands. Lahiri, who has had a decent run from the Players to the Wells Fargo before missing cuts at PGA Championship and the Memorial, is now looking at reversing that.
A good run will also see him work his way up on the FedEx Cup from his current 59th place and his world ranking is 86th.
Also importantly he is looking at moving up the standings for the Presidents Cup, where he is currently 15th. Lahiri has played twice in the Presidents Cup, the only Indian to have done so, and he also wants to improve on his record at prestigious team events between the United States and the Internationals (rest of the world minus Europe).
Lahiri, who did not play the RBC Canadian Open did not make the field for US Open and got a two-week layoff to spend with his family and also practice. He now plays his first two rounds with Brian Stuard and Rory Sabbatini, the Olympic silver medallist, the former South African, who now plays for Slovakia.
The field is star-studded with World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler, Rory McIlroy, Sam Burns, Tony Finau, Patrick Cantlay, Emiliano Grillo, Harold Varner III, Sung Kang, Sung Jae Im and Danny Willett.
Chinese Taipei golf star C.T. Pan, who won bronze at Tokyo Olympics, will also be aiming to qualify for a second Presidents Cup appearance for the International Team as he plays the Travelers Championship.
Following a two-week break, Pan hopes to extend his made-cut streak after displaying his trademark fighting qualities at the Memorial Tournament presented by Workday earlier this month. He made a disastrous 10 on a single hole en route to a first round 76 but bounced back with a second round 68 to finish an eventual T53, extending his made-cut run to seven events. His best streak on TOUR was 12 events in 2018.
As the TOUR approaches the business-end of its 2021-22 season with the lucrative FedExCup Playoffs looming and the Presidents Cup slated in September, the Asian star knows there is plenty to play for. He currently sits at 82nd place on the FedExCup standings and 23rd on the International Team ranking, with the top-8 after the BMW Championship earning automatic selection to face the United States at Quail Hollow.
