Rio Grande, Puerto Rico, Feb 22: Anirban Lahiri recovered from an early double bogey and then turned in a fine finish over the closing stages in the second round of the Puerto Rico Open.
On another windy day at Coco Beach, Lahiri carded another two-under 70 to get to four-under 140 and Tied-33rd.
Arjun Atwal had a great second round at five-under 67 to join Lahiri at four-under and Tied-33rdplace. Daniel Chopra, however fell with a one-over 73 after a first round 69 and he is now two-under 142 and T-60thand just squeezed into the weekend rounds.
PGA TOUR rookie 22-year-old Norwegian Viktor Hovland shot a 6-under 66 for a share of the Puerto Rico Open lead. Hovland eagled the par-5 second and rebounded from a late bogey on a par 5 with a birdie to join first-round leader Kyle Stanley, Josh Teater and Emiliano Grillo at 10-under 134.
Lahiri, starting the day at two-under, fell to even par with a double bogey on Par-3 11thafter starting from the 10th. Lahiri steadied himself thereafter, did not drop any more shots but picked a birdie on 17th.
On his second nine, he parred the first four holes before getting his second birdie of the day on fifth to get tot even par. He was on the bubble at two-under, but his back-to-back birdie efforts on eighth and ninth, his closing holes, confirmed a comfortable passage into the weekend.
Atwal also began on the 10th, but needed a solid second round after his disappointing 73 on first day. Atwal birdied Par-3 11th, birdied 17thand 18thto turn in three-under and was two-under and on the cutline. Birdies on second and fourth brought him to four-under for the tournament. A bogey on seventh was neutralised by a birdie on eighth.
Co-leader Hovland dropped a stroke on the par-5 15th, then got back to 10 under with a birdie on the par-4 17th. The former Oklahoma State player won the 2018 U.S. Amateur at Pebble Beach, then became the first player since Matt Kuchar in 1998 to sweep low amateur honours at The Masters and U.S. Open.
Stanley followed an opening 64 with a 70 while Grillo birdied the final two holes in a 68. Teater also shot 68.
Sam Ryder was a stroke back after a 65. David Lingmerth (65), Ben Martin (66), Rhein Gibson (70) and Martin Laird (69) were 8 under.
Defending champion Martin Trainer missed the cut with rounds of 74 and 73. Tom Lewis also failed to advance. He shot 73-76.
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Lahiri cards 70 and lies 31st in Puerto Rico; Chopra 20th; Kyle Stanley leads
