August 13, 2016: It must be the unique experience of donning national colours amidst the euphoric environment of the Olympics. SSP Chawrasia and Anirban Lahiri fought their hearts out for a second day running, trying desperately to climb up the order. Chawrasia shot a second straight 71 while Anirban produced a 73 to add to his 74 from the frist round. At the end of the second round, Chawrasia was lying T30, ten strokes behind the leader Marcus Fraser at 10-under 132. Anirban is five over 147 in T51.
Anirban’s card was compromised on the front nine – when he made four bogeys in a five hole stretch punctuated by a birdie at the par-3 sixth hole. But the shots conceded at 4,5,7 & 8 meant that it took 38 shots for Anirban to traverse the front nine.
The determined Indian, ranked 68th in the world, produced a determined effort on the back nine. The only blemish on his way to the clubhouse came at the 14th hole, before Anirban produced birdies at the 16th and 18th to end the day at two over 73.
Chawrasia’s workmanlike approach paid off for a second day running. Though he suffered a pair of early bogeys – one at the 2nd hole and a double at the 3rd, Chawrasia bounced back immediately. He produced four birdies in a six hole stretch from the fourth to make the turn in one under 34.
But the course stemmed Chawrasia’s steady progress, taking away bogeys at 10 and 11, as he slipped back to over par. Chawrasia went home with six pars and a birdie at the 17th to end the day on even terms with the course.
Danny Lee had the best round of the day, a stunning 65 containing eight birdies and two bogeys. Lee produced four straight birdies to end his round on a high. The 65 followed a 72 in the first round, carrying Lee inside the top ten.
But the man from New Zealand is still five behind the leader, needing a special effort over the weekend to earn a medal on Sunday.
