SPORT / MISCELLANY
India's Lahiri grabs lead at Players ahead of Monday finish
India's Anirban Lahiri birdied three of his last four holes to seize a one-stroke lead before darkness halted Sunday's third round of the storm-hit Players Championship.
Lahiri made six birdies against a lone bogey to reach five-under through 11 holes at TPC Sawgrass and stand on nine-under overall, one stroke ahead of Americans Tom Hoge and Harold Varner entering a Monday shootout at Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida.
"I'm just being in the moment right now. I'm really happy. I'm confident," Lahiri said. "You grind away, keep chipping away, keep working on your game, and when it clicks, it clicks."
Two days of torrential rain followed by fierce winds on Saturday delayed play so some golfers must go 27 holes on Monday to finish the tournament.
Lahiri, 34, seeks his biggest career title after European Tour victories in 2015 at the Malaysian and Indian Opens.
"It definitely would be a career highlight," Lahiri said.
World No.322 Lahiri seeks his first US PGA title and the first by any India player since Arjun Atwal's 2010 triumph at Greensboro. He said it would mean a lot to his homeland because people could watch it there.
"It would be huge," Lahiri said. "With every shot live, it makes a big difference because people get to watch me play. It's not every week you play well, but you play well in a week where people can actually see you play, it makes a bigger difference."
Varner seeks his first US PGA title while Hoge captured his first only last month at Pebble Beach. Each has nine holes remaining in round three.
Lahiri's day began in the second round in cold barely above freezing and he made three bogeys before an eagle at the par-five 11th in the second round.
"I'm not used to playing in temps like that. I couldn't feel anything in my fingers, my toes," Lahiri said. "Felt like I made good swings but they came out sideways and I missed a few putts.
"It kind of warmed up a little bit and I got a hold of what I wanted to do on the greens. Just making the three on 11 kind of gave me the momentum I needed to turn my day around."
Lahiri made six birdies against a lone bogey to reach five-under through 11 holes at TPC Sawgrass and stand on nine-under overall, one stroke ahead of Americans Tom Hoge and Harold Varner entering a Monday shootout at Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida.
"I'm just being in the moment right now. I'm really happy. I'm confident," Lahiri said. "You grind away, keep chipping away, keep working on your game, and when it clicks, it clicks."
Two days of torrential rain followed by fierce winds on Saturday delayed play so some golfers must go 27 holes on Monday to finish the tournament.
Lahiri, 34, seeks his biggest career title after European Tour victories in 2015 at the Malaysian and Indian Opens.
"It definitely would be a career highlight," Lahiri said.
World No.322 Lahiri seeks his first US PGA title and the first by any India player since Arjun Atwal's 2010 triumph at Greensboro. He said it would mean a lot to his homeland because people could watch it there.
"It would be huge," Lahiri said. "With every shot live, it makes a big difference because people get to watch me play. It's not every week you play well, but you play well in a week where people can actually see you play, it makes a bigger difference."
Varner seeks his first US PGA title while Hoge captured his first only last month at Pebble Beach. Each has nine holes remaining in round three.
Lahiri's day began in the second round in cold barely above freezing and he made three bogeys before an eagle at the par-five 11th in the second round.
"I'm not used to playing in temps like that. I couldn't feel anything in my fingers, my toes," Lahiri said. "Felt like I made good swings but they came out sideways and I missed a few putts.
"It kind of warmed up a little bit and I got a hold of what I wanted to do on the greens. Just making the three on 11 kind of gave me the momentum I needed to turn my day around."
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