Augusta, Georgia, 11-04-2015
Anirban Lahiri shoots 75 in round two, becomes second Indian after Jeev Milkha Singh to make the cut at The Masters
India’s Anirban Lahiri created history at the Augusta National Golf Club on Friday as he became only the second Indian after Jeev Milkha Singh to make the cut at The Masters. Lahiri followed up his first round of one-under-71 with a three-over-75 in round two to make the cut by one shot at two-over-146 in his maiden appearance at the year’s first Major.
The lead was held by American Jordan Spieth at 14-under-130.
Lahiri’s roller-coaster second round was in total contrast to his steady opening round. While the Indian star sank an eagle and two birdies on Friday, he also dropped five bogeys and a double-bogey. He signed off with a crucial par on the last hole to make it to the weekend rounds in tied 50th place.
Incidentally, Anirban had also made the cut in his debut Major appearance at the British Open in 2012.
“I got off to a terrible start. I didn’t execute my plan at all. Obviously I was not able to focus as well as I would have liked. I think that also kind of happened because I got wrong footed with a few bogeys early on,” said Lahiri, the current Asian Tour Order of Merit leader.
“I think I fought back well, but I just hit so many loose shots. It was disappointing to drop so many shots. But I’m happy that I managed to make it through to the weekend.
“You want to play well in the Majors. But you can’t play well in them if you don’t play four days. So, you know, I’ve given myself that opportunity now. If I have a good weekend I can definitely move up.”
Lahiri, the world number 34, managed to get himself out of trouble with some magnificent shots. But the 27-year-old knows that he must keep the errors out of his game in order to make a move up the leaderboard.
“I wasn’t happy with the way I was driving it,” said Lahiri, who found only seven fairways. “I didn’t hit my irons all that bad but I just put myself in very poor positions off the tee. When I did put myself in good positions off the tee, I did well on those holes. I need to do more of that.”
The two-time European Tour winner hit rough weather with three bogeys on his first six holes. His only birdie on the front-nine came on the par-five eighth. His back-nine had it all. Anirban first bogeyed the 11th with a three-putt and then came back well with a stunning eagle off a 25-foot putt on 13. However, he gave it away with a double-bogey on the next hole.
A determined Lahiri fought back with a birdie on the 15th but dropped a shot on the 16th by missing a seven-foot par attempt, which put him at two-over for the tournament and right on the cut mark.
Needing a par on 18th, Anirban was in trouble after he missed the green. But the Bangalorean produced a superb chip that left him a tap-in for par.
“I think 14 really hurt me,” he said. “The eagle on 13, obviously I got a little lucky. I pulled it a bit and didn’t catch the trees and came out to a really good spot. Made a good putt there, finally made one from outside of 10 feet.”
“I have to admit I was nervous on the back-nine and I made some poor swings. And I didn’t focus as well as I would have liked. I’m going to have to look to improve over the weekend,” said Lahiri.
Jeev Milkha Singh, the only other Indian to make the cut at The Masters, had made it to the weekend rounds in two of his three appearances at the event. He was tied 37th in 2007 and tied 25th in 2008. His performance in 2008 is the best by an Indian at The Masters till date.
Arjun Atwal, the third Indian to appear at The Masters, had missed the cut in his only appearance in 2011.
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