Anirban Lahiri. File Pic
La Quinta, California, Jan 18: Anirban Lahiri made two double bogeys, one on each side of the tough Stadium Course and finished two-under 70 in the second round of The American Express Golf Championship.
Lahiri seemed to have recovered from an early double bogey on sixth when he went into the water off the tee as he birdied four times between 12thand 17thholes to get to four-under for the day, a decent score for the Stadium Course.
However on the 18thafter finding the fairway from the tee, Lahiri went into the right rough with a difficult lie. He did not come out well and then missed a bogey putt from five and a half feet for a double bogey.
Lahiri (70-70) is four-under but Tied-84thand the cut will be applied after the third round. Lahiri plays at the La Quinta course, considered the easiest of the three courses in use this week.
Lahiri birdied first and out for a birdie on Par-5 fifth from just 20 feet when he was just off the green. He also birdied the seventh, 12th, 13th, 16thand 17th, all barring the 17thfrom inside seven feet.
His double bogeys were on sixth and 18thand in between he bogeyed the 15th. But he also missed four potential birdies from between nine and 12 feet.
Rickie Fowler coming to The American Express for the first time in six years saw him compile a fine 64 at the PGA West’s Jack Nicklaus Tournament Course and moved into a share of the lead after 36 holes. He played his final nine in 6-under 30, making a 6-foot eagle putt on the par-5 fourth, four birdies and two big par saves on sixth and seventh.
He started the week with a 65 at La Quinta Country Club.
Scottie Scheffler also opened with rounds of 65 and 64 and is tied for the lead. He birdied the first four holes and six of the first seven Friday.
Fowler and Scheffler will play PGA West’s Stadium Course on Saturday.
Tournament host Phil Mickelson after 70-72 needed a low round Saturday at the Stadium Course to make the cut.
Andrew Landry was a stroke out of the lead after a 64 at La Quinta.
Tony Finau, made a big move with a 62 on the Nicklaus layout and got to fourth at 13-under after as he played his final nine in 7-under 29.
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