May 20, 2016: Anirban Lahiri was lying one over with two holes to play in the first round of the AT&T Byron Nelson at the TPC Four Seasons in Irving, Texas. Lahiri made three bogeys and two birdies in an up and down round that left in T106 at the end of a curtailed day. Sergio Garcia, returned to the event for the first time in five years, firing a sizzling 63 to soar into the joint lead with Johnson Wagner and Danny Lee.
Lahiri made another difficult start, carding bogeys at the first two holes. It was always a question of recovery from there, as he continues his struggle to find the consistency needed to shine on the PGA TOUR.
A birdie at the par-3 fifth hole and a second at the par-4 10th helped Anirban get even with the course. But he dropped another shot at the eleventh to slip over par again. The 56th ranked Indian played the next five holes to par before play was suspended due to darkness.
Garcia has plenty of history at the course in Irving. He made his American debut at this event, way back in 1999. The young Spaniard underlined his immense promise at the time with a stellar 62 in the first round on his way to a third place finish. Eventually, he won the event in 2004 and his picture with Byron Nelson remains a fond treasure for Garcia.
“Every time I see them, it reminds me of this place and Byron and the kind of legend he was,” Garcia said. “I have been playing decent and obviously I still feel like I can play better. Hopefully I can keep this momentum going and have a good solid week before the U.S. Open.”
But Garcia will need to continue playing out of his skin to contend for the title this week. Besides Lee and Wagner, who are tied for the lead, Dustin Johnson and Jordan Spieth are tapping on his heels too.
Johnson and Spieth shot six under 64, lying in T4 with Freddie Jacobson and Tom Hoge. Ben Crane leads a group of nine men in T8 a further stroke back.
