Press Trust of India
Wisconsin, August 16: Anirban Lahiri scored two-under 70 Saturday to drop four places to be tied eighth after the third round of the $10,000,000 97th Professional Golfers Association (PGA) Championship at the par-72 Whistling Straits course here.
World No. 53 Lahiri, who fired an impressive five-under 67 in the second round, Friday took his three-day total to nine-under 207 — six strokes behind leader Jason Day of Australia who has a 54-hole total of 15-under 201 following a six-under 66.
Current Asian Tour leader Lahiri got a very good start with birdies on the first and second holes. He recovered from a bogey on the par-three seventh with two consecutive birdies on the 11th and 12th.
The 28-year-old dropped a shot on the par-four 15th to be two-under but again moved to three-under by birding the next hole. However, the Bangalorean bogeyed the par-four 18th and had to settle for a two-under 70 — the score he got in the opening round Thursday.
Following the penultimate round, Lahiri is sharing the spot with first day leader Dustin Johnson of the US. He is still on course to better a best performance by an Indian at a Major. Jeev Milkha Singh holds the record of best performance as he finished tied eighth at the PGA Championship in 2008.
“Overall it has been a satisfactory day for me,” said Lahiri after the end of the day’s play. “It could have been better, but the weather conditions were tough. Overall no complaints.”
World No.5 Day, who is still in search of a Major title, shot birdies on the first, third, fifth, ninth, 10th, 13th, 14th, 17th along with an eagle on the par-five 11th. The 27-year-old dropped shots on the second, fourth and 15th. He holds a two-shot lead over reigning Masters and US Open champion Jordan Spieth, who fired seven-under 65.
