Anirban Lahiri. File pic
Memphis, Aug 13: Anirban Lahiri missed the cut and will be watching the leader board over the weekend to see if he makes the field for next week’s BMW Championship. Lahiri, who shot 1-over par on the first day needed a low round to get into the weekend, but a late double bogey ruined his chances as he shot 1-under 69 and missed by two. At even for two rounds, he ended 80th.
The cut fell at 1-under and among those missing it was World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler.
The missed cut meant Lahiri is currently projected to drop to 70th place on the FedExCup standings after entering the week in 63rd. It will be a nervous weekend as only the top-70 after the FedEx St. Jude Championship advance into next week’s BMW Championship.
American JJ Spaun made a late birdie for a 3-under 67 to take a one-shot lead as some of the bigger stars missed the cut and that included Scottie Scheffler, Rory McIlroy and Jordan Spieth.
Spaun at 11-under was ahead of Sepp Straka and Troy Merritt, who are tied for second at 10 under and Denny McCarthy is in fourth at 9-under.
Lahiri hit 9 of 18 greens in regulation during his second round. Lahiri opened with a birdie on the 434-yard par-4 first hole. His 116 yard approach shot set him up for a birdie from eight feet and he converted that. He incurred a penalty after going into the water on Par-5 third, but still managed par. A missed putt from under seven feet meant o bogey on fifth, but he holed his second shot on the sixth from 138 yards for an eagle.
On the par-4 10th, Lahiri’s 173 yard approach set him again for a birdie from 10 feet and he grabbed the chance to move to 3-under for the round at which point he was inside the cut line.
Then, on the 406-yard par-4 12th, Lahiri had a bogey after reaching the green only in four. He bogeyed the 530-yard par-5 16th, after hitting the green in four and two putting. That moved him to 1-under for the round and missed the cut.
Spaun was one shot ahead of Straka, who birdied his last three holes for a 66, and Troy Merritt, who had a 65. Tony Finau, coming off two straight wins, had a round of 68 and three behind Spaun.
Scheffler, the Masters champion and World No. 1 player for the last five months, had putting problems and then had birdie chances on two of the last three holes. He failed to make them and his card of 2-under 68 was not enough to keep him for the weekend.
McIlroy bogeyed his last hole for a 69 and missed only his second cut of the year. Spieth’s hopes of playing the weekend ended with a tee shot into the water on the par-3 14th. He shot 74.
However, all three will be back for next week’s BMW Championship as they are all in Top 70.
Korea’s K.H. Lee stayed in contention following a second round 1-under 69 which put him in tied ninth position and four strokes behind leader Spaun.
Lee, a two-time PGA TOUR winner, made four birdies against three bogeys for a 7-under total at TPC Southwind in Memphis to carry Asia’s challenge in the first of three FedExCup Playoffs events.
Countryman and co-overnight leader, Si Woo Kim slipped back to T27 following a disappointing 73, 11 shots worse that his opening 62.
Joohyung “Tom” Kim, last week’s Wyndham Championship winner, and Sungjae Im, a two-time winner, made the weekend cut following cards of 70 and 68 for T33 and T60 respectively.
Lee, 30, is fighting on two fronts over the next two weeks as he is aiming to qualify for his first TOUR Championship by making the top-30 and also the International Team for the Presidents Cup next month where he is presently one rung outside the automatic top-8 qualifying.
Rickie Fowler, who came in at No. 125, shot 71 and was tied for 33rd. He will be around for two more days but needs to contend to advance to BMW.
Rad also:
Lahiri starts with 71 as Korea’s Si Woo Kim takes lead at St Jude Champs
