Playa Del Carmen (Mexico), Nov 6 (Golf news) India's Anirban Lahiri followed up his solid first round with a superb bogey-free second round of 5-under 66 that placed him tied fifth at the halfway stage of the World Wide Technology Championship at Mayakoba.
After going with pars for his first nine holes on the back nine as he started from the 10th, Lahiri had five birdies on his second nine, the front side of the El Camaleon course.
Lahiri made nine pars from the 10th and then birdied 1, 4, 5, 6 and 8 for a second round 66 to move up to 9-under. He was four behind leader Matt Wolff (61-68) who is 13-under.
"I think I played pretty well both days, but I was more consistent today I think. Yesterday, I just dropped loose shorts. A couple of shots that I dropped yesterday were from the fairway and I was a little disappointed. Today I was very happy to go bogey free. I think it was important," Lahiri said.
"I think conditions were definitely favourable for scoring this morning. I think this golf course has two different aspects to it. The front nine is obviously is the side that has two par fives and probably a little easier. So, it's important to take advantage of that.
"And I think on the backline there's a couple of challenging holes. And outside of that, you know, you can still make quite a few birdies in." Lahiri is searching for his career's first TOUR win in his 145th start and first top-10 of the season. His best in three outings at Mayakoba is tied 10th in 2018. He was also tied 14th in 2017 and tied 28th in 2016. He has missed two cuts in three starts so far this season.
Wolff looked set for a big lead before he dropped two late bogeys and finished 3-under 68 and moved to 13-under. He was still two ahead of Scottie Scheffler (64).
A day after shooting 10-under 61, Wolff birdied all the par 5s at El Camaleon for the second straight day. He was 15 under at one stage before the bogeys on 16 and 18 saw him come back to 13-under.
Scheffler, who performed well in majors and in the Ryder Cup but is still looking for his first PGA TOUR win, had a good run of five straight birdies from fourth to eighth in his 64.
Carlos Ortiz of Mexico and defending champion Viktor Hovland of Norway each had 65 and were three shots behind.
Hovland overcame a double bogey which was a result of a freak bounce taking it out of bounds. He made up quickly with five birdies on front nine and three more on second nine for six-under 65.
Brooks Koepka made a triple bogey in his 71 and missed the cut. Rickie Fowler played the par 5s on the front nine with a bogey and a double bogey and parred the par-5 13th. He was outside the cut until a birdie on the 17th helped him make 72 and made the cut at 4-under 138.
Ten players were in a tie for fifth at 9-under 135, a group that included Justin Thomas.
Also Read : Lahiri starts with a solid 67, lies T-20th in Mexico
News Source : PTI
