Lahiri stays in contention after a 3-under, two off the lead

Columbus (USA), August 18

Anirban Lahiri put himself in an excellent position to make a charge for his first win on American soil after shooting a 3-under 68 in Round 3 to be tied-6th at the Nationwide Children’s Hospital Championship. Lahiri is 7-under 209, two shots behind leaders Jose de Jesus Rodriguez and Brandon Hagy. Ben Martin, Scottie Scheffler and Scott Harrington are tied-third at 8-under.

Lahiri, who was tied-ninth after the second round, had a much better day off the tees though he missed a couple of short putts inside six feet. 

Lahiri made birdies on the par-5 fourth and sixth holes apart from the ninth, but dropped a shot on the fifth. On the back-nine, he bogeyed the 10th and 14th holes after three-putting despite reaching the greens in regulation. He birdied the par-5 12th and the 13th and 15th. 

“I played much better than yesterday, though there were a couple of three-putts,” Lahiri said. “I still struggled a bit from inside six feet, because at certain places there is not much grass. So it breaks a little more at time, or breaks a little less,” he added. 

“The negative thing I would say was that both the bogeys on the back-nine were three-putts. But I did make a couple of 20-footers so that evens it out,” said Lahiri, who is looking to end his four-year title drought. His last win was at the Indian Open on home turf in 2015.

On his plan for the final round, he said, “I will do my homework when pins come out and figure out strategy as to which holes or pins to be aggressive on. The key is to put yourself in position and then be aggressive. I want to be in the mix when the heat picks up on the last six holes.”

Thomas fires 61 to take lead

Washington: Justin Thomas humbled rain-softened Medinah with dazzling shot-making, firing a course-record 11-under 61 to seize a six-stroke lead after the third round of the US PGA BMW Championship. An incredible day for the 2017 PGA Championship winner left the 26-year-old American on 21-under after 54 holes. “It was just one of those freaky days when you get in a zone,” Thomas said. “It was just one of those days when you hit it unbelievable. I was able to put it close to the holes and make the putts. One of those days.” 

The day-old course record of 63 set by Japan’s Hideki Matsuyama was shattered by Thomas, whose first-round 65 had shared the course record. “I just hope the trend doesn’t continue and someone else breaks it tomorrow,” Thomas said. Americans Tony Finau and Patrick Cantlay were a distant second on 15-under after each shot a 68, with Slovakia’s Rory Sabbatini another stroke adrift and Spain’s Jon Rahm fifth.

Tiger shoots 67

Tiger Woods matched his lowest round since February with a 67. Sixth-ranked Woods, trying to finish well enough to qualify for a chance at defending his title in next week’s season-ending Tour Championship, was on 7-under, sharing 31st at the course where he won the 1999 and 2006 PGA Championships. 

“This was nice to at least give myself a chance to make it to next week,” said Woods, who likely needs a top-12 finish to book a spot in Atlanta next week. — Agencies