Anirban Lahiri misses cut at RBC Heritage, Lowry leads

Indian golfer Anirban Lahiri missed the cut on Saturday as he made a return to action at the RBC Heritage after a three-week hiatus.

Lahiri shot 72 and 74 and missed the cut, which fell at even par at Harbour Town Links.

Shane Lowry came back early on Saturday morning to complete his last two holes of the second round and kept his lead.

Lowry added a 68 to his first round 65 and was nine-under and one shot clear of Trey Mullinax (66-68).

Dustin Johnson (68-67), Emiliano Grillo (68-67) and Daniel Berger (66-69) were tied third at seven-under.

Second round play was pushed to third day morning as weather forced a suspension of play on Friday.

 

Lahiri hit eight of 18 greens in regulation during his second round. His second had round three-over 74, finishing at 4 over for the tournament. Lahiri finished his day tied for 100th.

Lahiri teed off from tenth and bogeyed his first two holes, missing a five-footer for par on 11th. He missed two putts inside five feet and two more between five and 10 feet plus a handful between 10-15 feet on a day when the conditions were rather tough and wet. He had two birdies and five bogeys.

Lowry opened play at Harbour Town Golf Links with a 6-under 65 and knew conditions were worsening. He jumped all over the course as quick as he could with birdies on the first and second holes before storms swept the island resort area in the second round.

After waiting out a delay of 3 hours, 43 minutes, Lowry played consistently enough to keep in front.

Lowry was among 56 players who was to return to complete the second round before starting the third. He parred both to finish 36 holes in nine-under.

Johnson, runner-up second at the Masters last week, shot his fifth score in the 60s in his past six rounds here. He stood over a birdie putt on his final hole, the ninth, when officials blew the horn. But players had the option to finish out and Johnson secured a par.

Grillo, of Argentina, knocked his drive 282 yards in perfect position on Par-5 fifth hole measuring 534 yards, and that landed into the cup from 254 yards away for only the second albatross at Harbour Town since 1983 and first since 2007.

Grillo closed his round perfectly too, with a hole-out from 37 yards away on the tricky ninth hole.

C T Pan had the best round of the day at 65 and was tied with Rory Sabbatini at 6 under. Sabbatini shot a 69.

Ian Poulter and eight others were four behind Lowry at 5 under. Poulter was among the lucky early finishers with a 67.