Dublin (US), Jun 4 (Golf News) India's ace golfer Anirban Lahiri carded a disappointing one-over 73 to miss the cut by one shot at the Memorial Tournament here.
Lahiri, who shot 74 on the first day, finished at three-over 147 and missed the cut on Friday at Muirfield Village.
Two missed par putts from inside five feet on fifth and 12th saw Lahiri miss the cut for the second start in a row. He had earlier missed the weekend action at the US PGA Championship at Southern Hills.
Lahiri's will most likely next play at the Travelers Championship.
Cameron Smith, playing some of his best golf, moved into the lead. His highlight was a hole out with a downhill chip from beyond the green on the par-3 12th that carried him to three-under 69.
Smith was one shot ahead of Denny McCarthy and KH Lee at the end of the 36 holes.
In six previous appearances, Smith only made the cut twice and on both occasion finished outside the top 60. His best round was a 71.
But Smith, now a winner of THE PLAYERS Championship and the Sentry Tournament of Champions, is in a different frame of mind and in some superb form. His rounds of 67-69 gave him a total of eight-under 136.
Billy Horschel had a birdie chance at almost every hole but ended with four-under 68 that left him in the group two shots behind with Torrey Pines winner Luke List, PGA TOUR rookies Cameron Young and Davis Riley, and Jhonattan Vegas.
Rory McIlroy, with a 69, was three shots behind defending champion Patrick Cantlay, who closed in with two big par putts for a 69 and was at three-under 141.
The cut fell at two-over 146.
Among those missing out on the weekend action were Bryson DeChambeau and Harris English, both of whom were coming back from injuries.
Jon Rahm, winner here in 2020, had a 70 and was at two-under 142, six shots behind. He was six shots ahead after three rounds last year until his positive COVID-19 test forced his withdrawal.
Korea's Lee stayed on Smith's heels. Lee traded four birdies, which included a 40-foot monster putt, against two bogeys for a two-day total of seven-under 137 as World No. 3 Smith stepped up his bid for a third victory of the season.
Another Korean, Sungjae Im kept himself in contention with a second successive 70 to lie four back.
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News Source : PTI
