Anirban Lahiri is set to return to action after a two-week break following the Augusta Masters.
The 28-year-old Indian, playing in his first full season on the PGA Tour, is raring to go after the much-needed break during which he settled into his new home in Palm Beach and also worked on his game with his coach, Vijay Divecha, who flew in from India on the weekend of the Masters.
Lahiri has had a modest season with six cuts in nine starts in 2016. Overall in the 2015-16 wrap-around season, he has eight cuts in 11 starts without counting the specially sanctioned Hero World Challenge.
The T-21 at CIMB Classic in Kuala Lumpur stays his best of the season, during which he has been T-28 on three occasions at CareerBuilder Challenge, WGC-Cadillac and WGC-Dell Matchplay. He also made cuts at the Phoenix Open, Northern Trust and the Masters.
“I have had good rounds but have not strung them together for four days. There have been good and bad days in some department or the other. That’s why I wanted a break to work on the game with my coach,” said Lahiri.
“Hopefully it will put things in place for the next stretch,” he added.
Lahiri is also scheduled to play the Wells Fargo. The tournament also assumes importance as Lahiri needs to improve his World Ranking from current No. 53 to inside Top-50 to get a spot onto the PLAYERS Championships in two weeks time at TPC Sawgrass.
This week, Justin Rose returns as well to defend his Zurich Classic of New Orleans title. The Englishman conquered TPC Louisiana last year with precision iron play and solid putting but he has failed to record a top five finish worldwide since winning the UBS Hong Kong Open in October.
Jason Day, who finished tied for fourth in New Orleans last year, is also in the field.
Two weeks before the Players Championship, many players will view this tournament as a way to enter TPC Sawgrass in a good form. Like the famed Pete Dye course, TPC Louisiana lends itself to plenty of birdies and excitement, but can also show its teeth to players slightly off their games.
Other top players in the fray this week include Billy Horschel (44), who is coming off a T-4 last week, Rickie Fowler, whose holiday with buddies Jordan Spieth, Smylie Kaufman and Justin Thomas made big waves on social media, Daniel Berger, Jamie Donaldson, Charley Hoffman, Charles Howell III, Smylie Kaufman, Chris Kirk, and Danny Lee.
