June 14: Anirban Lahiri gave himself a fast start with four birdies in the first five holes, but then cooled off for a 4-under 67 and finished T-25 at the Palmetto Championship at Congaree. Lahiri ended with a total of 5-under 279 with rounds of 69-73-70-67 and on each day he left a few shots out on the course at Ridgeland.
Lahiri must have been relieved as he ended his run of three missed cut and also moved up somewhat on the FedExCup rankings to 115th, up by seven spots. The top-125 at the end of the Regular Season qualify for the FedExCup Playoffs and retain cards for next season.
Lahiri had five birdies in his first seven holes and then dropped two bogeys on eighth and 14 and picked one more more birdie on 12th.
Meanwhile 22-year-old South African, Garrick Higgo, who won twice in three weeks on the European Tour, and went on to make first PGA Tour appearance at the PGA Championship, won the Palmetto Championship at Congaree by one stroke on what was only his second career start on the PGA Tour.
Higgo, starting the final day six shots behind the winner, carded 3-under 68 and set a clubhouse target of 11-under, which held on as some of the better-known names fell by the wayside. There were as many six players, Hudson Swafford, Doc Reedman, Jhonattan Vegas, Tyrrell Hatton, Bo Van Pelt and overnight leader Chesson Hadley, who let go off his four-shot lead.
Lahiri, who did not quite have all the parts of his game working in unison, had his iron play and putter combine well as he rose up the leaderboard. Despite some fine birdies, Lahiri still missed a few inside 10-feet as was the case through the week, which should however give him confidence going forward.
Left hander Higgo, who won all his three European Tour titles during the pandemic – Open De Portugal in September, 2020 and then Gran Canaria Lopeson Open in April, 2021 and the Canary Islands Championships in May, 2021, is immediately eligible for PGA TOUR membership through the 2022-23 season and the 2021 FedExCup Playoffs.
Overnight leader Hadley bogeyed the final three holes and finished in a tie for second.
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