India’s Anirban Lahiri slipped further at the Hero World Challenge in Nassau, after carding a disappointing one-over 73 to be placed tied 15th on Day 3 of the tournament that saw Bubba Watson build a two-shot lead going into the final round. (Bubba Watson Grabs Challenge Lead With Paul Casey on His Heels)
Another disappointing ‘putting’ day for Lahiri meant he was unable to make any ground and only slide back over the last two at the PGA-sanctioned event at the Albany Golf Club.
Lahiri, who got a player exemption from the sponsor along with Bill Haas, has hit the ball and been fine till he reaches the greens. He was tied-10th after the first and then tied 14th after Round 2.
“I just could not get going the whole day, neither on front or back nines. It was overall quite disappointing as I got off to a bad start and never got any momentum going,” Lahiri said.
After taking pars in the first three holes, Lahiri hit a bogey in the fourth hole that was par 4.
The 28-year-old player from Bengaluru then kept going even-par for the next eight holes from fifth to the 12th before hitting another bogey in the 13th.
“I got a mud ball on fourth (meaning mud was stuck on the ball, but he could not lift to clean it because it was not on the greens) and that lead to an errant approach shot. It resulted in a bogey,” said Lahiri, who had no birdies on the front stretch.
Two birdies in the next couple of holes — 14th and 15th — helped him recover, but it was just not his day as he ran into another bogey on the 17th.
“Anyway I will try to finish strongly in the final round of the tournament, post which I will be taking time off for sometime,” added Lahiri.
Meanwhile, Watson holed out with a seven-iron for eagle, made seven birdies and tied the course record with a nine-under 63 on Saturday to take a two-shot lead over Paul Casey.
Watson tied the record that had been set 10 minutes earlier by Casey, who had nine birdies on a clean card.
Watson was at 19-under 197, one short of the 54-hole tournament record set by World No.1 Jordan Spieth at Isleworth in Florida last year.
“Yeah, it was a good day. You know, I hit some good shots and the key for me around this golf course, I think for everybody though as we’re seeing, when there’s no wind, light wind, we can score.
“We’re all good players, don’t get me wrong. We’re all top 50 in the world. But with no wind, this golf course is a little bit easier to make birdies. Obviously 20-mile an hour winds, this golf course becomes a beast,” said Watson.
Spieth though had an ordinary day at the greens as the defending champion carded a four-under 68 to be tied fifth alongwith Haas.
“I shot 68 and got lapped. It was a day where you really needed to shoot lower. Par for the course is 5 under, especially in these conditions,” said Sieth.
Tiger Woods, the tournament host, followed the final group through the front nine and occasionally gave his friend and TV reporter Notah Begay a lift.
