Anirban Lahiri cards 67 despite missing putts in Dallas Round 2, lies 20th

PTI

Dallas (US): India's Anirban Lahiri shot a four-under 67 in the second round to make the cut comfortably in tied 20th place at the AT&T Byron Nelson Championships golf tournament.

Marc Leishman, who had his best PGA Tour career round on the first day at 10-under 61, added a 5-under 66 and broke Tiger Woods' 36-hole record, while World No 3 Jordan Spieth, the highest world ranked star, was eight shots behind.

Sergio Garcia, the 2017 Masters champion and two-time AT&T Byron Nelson winner, missed the cut at 1-under.

The second round 67 was Lahiri's best since a similar score in the third round of the Genesis Open in February earlier this year. Curiously, Lahiri has had only four rounds in 60s in 10 starts in 2018 and this was his fifth.

Lahiri had five birdies and one bogey, right at the finish line on 18th, which left a bitter taste. His last four holes alone could have had him at least three shots better, if not four.

A tenth tee starter, Lahiri missed a 14-footer for birdie on sixth, eight feet seven inches for birdie on seventh, 10 feet two inches for birdie on eighth and six feet nine inches for par on ninth. He missed two other putts inside 10 feet on his first nine on 13th and 15th.

Lahiri, who is the second week of his four-week stretch, said: "I am disappointed with my score today. I felt like I left 4-5 shots on the greens."

"The ball striking has been steadily improving over the last few weeks so I am happy about that. I just feel like a really low round is around the corner. I just need a couple of putts to drop and hopefully I can do that over the weekend and get into the mix on Sunday," he added.

The 34-year-old Aussie Leishman reached the halfway mark at the new Trinity Forest course at 15-under 127 for a one-shot lead over 21-year-old rookie Aaron Wise. Local man Jordan Spieth is eight back at a course where he is a member.

The winds were stronger on a course, which has no trees, but they did not blow till late in the morning rounds. Yet, the wind didn't bother Wise, who shot a bogey-free 63 in the afternoon.

Brian Gay, also playing in calmer morning conditions, matched his career low at 62 to reach 13 under. Kevin Na (65), Eric Axley (65) and Jimmy Walker are 11 under.

Spieth (66), at 7-under 135 after matching Leishman's second round 66, missed two putts inside three feet for two of his three bogeys.

The previous 36-hole record for the AT&T Byron Nelson was 12-under 128 at the par-70 Four Seasons. Woods did it twice along with four others. Wise matched the 128 and was at 14 under.

Adam Scott, the 2013 Masters winner, who is trying to avoid sectional qualifying for the U.S. Open to maintain a major streak that goes back to 2001, shot a bogey-free 65 and was among five players at 10 under a week after finishing tied for 11th at THE PLAYERS Championship.

Defending champion Billy Horschel shot 69 and was 5 under. Hideki Matsuyama, the only other world top 10 besides Spieth in the field at No. 9, shot 63 to join him at 7 under.