Russell Knox and Anirban Lahiri. File pic
Napa, California, Sept 11: Anirban Lahiri ran into early trouble as he started from the back nine in the first round of the Safeway Open Championship and ended the day at two-over 74. Playing only his second event since March and the first in the last four weeks, Lahiri had two birdies, two bogeys and a double bogey and will now need a low second round to stay on for the weekend as he lies T-128.
Meanwhile, Scotsman, Russell Knox, who stays in the US, shot 9-under 63 to take the first-round lead in the Safeway Open, the first event of the new PGA TOUR 2020-21 season.
Among the Asian players’ scores, Andy Zhang had the best round of 6-under 66, with young Joohyung Kim at 5-under 67 and CT Pan with 3-under 69. Xinjun Zhang (69) and Kiradech Aphibarnrat (70) were the others.
Knox, who missed the FedExCup Playoffs by two spots last season, had seven birdies and an eagle on the 550-yard, par-5 fifth hole. Sam Burns, Cameron Percy and Bo Hoag were a stroke back 64. Two-time Safeway Open champ Brendan Steele joined Pat Perez at 65.
Lahiri hit nine 9 of the 18 greens in regulation. He got off to a superb start with a 33-foot birdie on 11th for his first birdie. But he messed up the next hole with a double on Par-4 13th where he reached the green in four and two-putted. A five-foot par put miss meant a bogey on par-4 14th. Dropping three shots in two holes derailed his progress, but he held on for the next few holes with pars before a trip into the native area on 18th meant another bogey. He turned in 3-over 39.
Playing catch-up on the second nine, he birdied the Par-5 fifth from seven feet and parred the rest. For a good part of the day he was not getting close enough to give himself birdie chances from around 10 feet or so. On a course where Par-5 scoring is the key, Lahiri had just one birdie in four Par-5s.
Akshay Bhatia, an American of Indian origin, and just 18, shot 6-under 66, to be T-11. Bhatia’s eight birdies included four on the four Par-5s and he dropped shots on two of the Par-3s. Left-hander Bhatia is being mentored by Phil Mickelson, who himself shot 1-under 71 and was T-81st.
Another American of Indian origin Sahith Theegala shot 1-under 71 and was T-81. Theegala turned pro in 2020, while Bhatia was just 17 when he turned pro in 2019.
Knox last won in 2016 when he took both the World Golf Championships-HSBC Champions and Travelers Championship. Disappointed at missing the the Playoffs, for which he had qualified the previous six years, Knox used the time to prepare with his new coach, Mark McCann.
Phil Mickelson, preparing himself for next week’s U.S. Open at Winged Foot, shot 71. “The best way to get ready for Winged Foot is to play well here,” Mickelson said.
Play began after a lengthy morning fog delay, and some of the late starters were unable to finish the round before dark.
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