June 01, 2018: The Memorial holds fond memories for Anirban Lahiri. It is the site of his best result on the PGA TOUR – he finished second at the Muirfield Village Golf Club last year. The Indian, trying to stem a recent downturn in form, produced a battling 71 on Thursday to lay up for another potentially good week in Ohio. Shubhankar Sharma left himself a mountain to climb again, needing a robust second round to make the cut.
Hideki Matsuyama, dormant this season, woke up finally with a rousing 65 that included four birdies and an eagle on the last five holes. The Japanese is in a tie for the lead with Chilean upstart Joaquin Niemann and Mexican Abraham Ancer.
Matsuyama made three birdies in four holes between the fourth and seventh holes, but a pair of bogeys soon after the bend left him one under with only six to play. But the tenth ranked star came to life on the final stretch producing some scintillating golf to join the leaders.
Anirban began his round on the tenth hole with a couple of pars. At the par-3 12, he landed in the green side bunker before working his way through the intermediate to a bogey. The 106thranked Indian made a couple of good putts from 12 and 8 feet respectively on the 14thand 16thholes to dip under par.
But his second shot at the par-4 18thlanded in the bunker again. When he missed one from inside eight feet, it resulted in his second bogey of the day.
Anirban made a spectacular birdie from 45 feet on the 3rdhole before cushioning his card with another well managed birdie at the par-5 fifth. The ninth though was tormenting the field, averaging 4.3 and yielding just ten birdies on the round, it took Anirban into the swamp with 33 other men, who also made bogey or worse at the treacherous hole.
An early starter on Thursday, Anirban was safely in the hut with a 71 to his name, good enough for a spot inside the top-30 at the end of the first round.
Shubhankar started late and the wind was swirling as he took to the course. He narrated a story of woes, fresh off a rousing effort last week at Colonial. Outside the top 100 at the end of the first round, the young Indian worked his way back to finish T20 in the Forth Worth Invitational.
He will need an encore of that effort in the Memorial too. A pair of bogeys (1st& 8th) were offset by consecutive birdies at the 5thand 6thholes.
After the bend though, Shubhankar was left bleeding profusely. He gave away five strokes to the course, with a sequence of bogey-bogey-double-bogey starting at the tenth to rapidly slide down the order.
Shubhankar showed great composure though as he imposed himself at the 529 yard par-5 15thhole to extract a birdie and stem the rot. He signed off very bruised though, as he took a four over 76 that pushed him down to T102 at the end of an eventful first day.
PGA TOUR Notes
ABRAHAM ANCER – Mexico’s top male golfer tied his career best PGA TOUR score with a 7-under 65 to share the lead. At 106th in the FedExCup this season Ancer is in great position to strengthen his Playoff hopes.
JASON DAY – The Columbus area resident and Muirfield Village member put up a 4-under 68 to set up a good chance of finally obtaining an elusive top-10 finish at his home course.
DUSTIN JOHNSON – The big-hitting Johnson was unable to break a streak of pars across the back nine leaving him with an even par 72.
JUSTIN ROSE – The 2010 Memorial champion and winner last week at the Fort Worth Invitational was a little scratchy on the way to a 1-under 71. Rose stunned onlookers early with a stone-cold top followed by a shank in consecutive shots on the par-5 15th hole.
JASON DUFNER – The defending champion had a rough time of it, carding a 3-over 75 with four bogeys and just one birdie.
PHIL MICKELSON – Lefty was looking great at 4-under through his opening eight holes but dropped six shots in his final 10 holes to shoot 74.
JUSTIN THOMAS – The FedExCup leader battled hard in his roller coaster round of 72.
JORDAN SPIETH – Spieth’s struggles continued with a 3-over 75.
RORY McILROY – The Northern Irishman was unable to ride his momentum from a good showing in Europe, opening with a 74.
