Lahiri continues birdie run

Greensboro (USA), August 4

Anirban Lahiri shot his third successive round in the 60s, a 2-under 68, which took him to 8-under 202 and tied-38th after the third round of the Wyndham Championship.

Lahiri stayed at the same spot with one more round to go in the last regular event of the PGA Tour this season.

The Indian golfer, who is ranked 178th on the FedExCup standings, will need to go back to KornFerry Series finals to try and regain his card for the PGA Tour for the 2019-20 season.

Lahiri hit 13 of 18 greens in regulation during his third round. He began with a birdie on the 418-yard par-4 first hole after hitting a brilliant approach shot from 144 yards. He added another birdie on the 174-yard par-3 third hole with 20-foot putt.

A birdie on 13th from 11 feet meant he was 9-under for the week and bogey-free for 49 holes. He made his first bogey of the tournament on the 501-yard par-4 14th. He hit the green in three after going into the rough off the tee. On the green, he two-putted from 44 feet. He got the shot back on the next hole, despite going into the rough off his second shot.

A three-putt on the 406-yard par-4 17th saw him move back to 2-under.

Bogey-free An

An Byeong-hun stayed ahead in his quest for a breakthrough PGA Tour victory, remaining bogey-free for the tournament with a 4-under 66 in the third round.

The South Korean, joint leader in the first round and alone in front overnight, will start the final round on 17-under, one stroke ahead of Americans Webb Simpson (65) and Brice Garnett (66) at Sedgefield Country Club.

On a packed leaderboard, American Ryan Armour (65) is two shots off the lead, while Englishman Paul Casey (66), American JT Poston (66) and Norway’s Viktor Hovland (64) trail by three.

An, who has finished runner-up three times on the PGA Tour but is still seeking his first victory at the age of 27, has downplayed his form all week and Saturday was no different. “One shot is basically nothing,” An said. 

He will play the final round with local favourite Simpson, who lives in nearby Charlotte and recorded his first tour victory here in 2011.

While Simpson has since claimed bigger titles, including the 2012 US Open, this tournament holds a special place in his heart.  

Hovland, making only his fifth start as a pro, jumped into contention by matching the day’s lowest score. 

Three-time Major champion Jordan Spieth had the day’s worst score — a 77 that included three double-bogeys — and missed the cut. 

Cinderella story

‘Smiling Cinderella’ Hinako Shibuno completed a fairytale week by winning the Women’s British Open in her first LPGA event at Milton Keynes today. The 20-year-old Japanese player, who earned her nickname because of her radiant smile, rammed home a lengthy birdie putt at the final hole to edge out American Lizette Salas by one stroke. Shibuno reacted with glee after her winning putt rattled in at Woburn for a closing 4-under 68. She finished on 18-under to become the second Japanese woman to win a Major, after Hisako “Chako” Higuchi in 1977. reuters

— Agencies