January 22, 2016: Any weariness from an enervating loss to Europe in Malaysia and the travel to California must have been replaced by a sense of elation for Anirban Lahiri. The ace Indian golfer got his PGA TOUR season to a rocking start with a brilliant 64 at the La Quinta Country Club to grab a share of the lead in the CareerBuilder Challenge. Lahiri is tied with Jason Dufner, Jerry Kelly and Jeff Overton in a four way lock for the lead. (Latest Golf News)
“I’m really happy with the way I started today. I was a bit unsure of how I was going to go today. Obviously still feeling all the travel from coming from Asia last week. But really happy with the way I hit the ball. I don’t think I missed a green all day. I felt really good out there,” asserted an obviously relieved Lahiri.
“This is a good golf course. I think that I like the way this particular golf course sets up. You’ve got to put it in play off the tee and then you have a lot of opportunities. So, I think it’s good, it’s good for people to come out and watch, because you see a lot of birdies.”
The event is played on three different courses – La Quinta, Nicklaus Tournament Course and the TPC Stadium Course. Lahiri took control early in his round, playing clean tee to green to make birdies at two and four.
Anirban Lahiri added back to back birdies at six and seven before making the turn with just 32 strokes marked on his card. A hat-trick of birdies from the par-5 11th hole carried Lahiri near the top and he ensured his share of the lead with an eighth birdie at the 17th hole.
Impressively, the Indian kept his sheet clean through his first day in America this season, making 100% of the greens in regulation. Colt Knost and Jamie Lovemark were tied in fifth place at 7-under 65. A further eleven golfers huddled into T7 after shooting 66 on Thursday.
The 2016 CareerBuilder Challenge will feature a tournament-record purse of $5.8 million, with the 2016 winner set to earn an event-record $1,044,000.
