Anirban Lahiri makes cut at Heritage, Jordan Spieth rebounds with 62

Hilton Head Island (US): Anriban Lahiri made his second successive cut on the PGA Tour after turning in a second round 69 at the RBC Heritage here. 

At even par 142, Lahiri was tied 67th as the cut fell at even par and he made it on the line. He moved up 11 places from his first round 78th. The Indian golfer had a two-over 73 in the first round.

Meanwhile, Masters winner, Jordan Spieth, who shot 74 in the first round blazed the course with nine birdies and carded 62 in the second round to make a smart move 86 places up and was now tied seventh.

However, it was little-known Troy Merritt, who shot 10-under 61 and stole the limelight at the Harbor Town Golf Links. Added to his 69 on the first day, it brought him to 12-under 130, a shot of the 36-hole record shared by Jack Nicklaus and Phil Mickelson.

Merritt had nine birdies over his final 10 holes to surge on top. He ended his round with four straight birdies, including a 5-footer on the signature lighthouse hole, No. 18, to tie the course record.

The American golfer is now four ahead of Matt Kuchar (66) and John Merrick (65).

Past RBC Heritage winners and US Open champions Graeme McDowell and Jim Furyk were seven-under along with Kevin Kisner. Furyk had a 64, Kisner shot 67 and McDowell 69. Spieth was a shot behind.

Before leaving Augusta, Lahiri said, "My aim is to keep learning, because I want to come back to all these courses and then put my learning to use as my bank of knowledge increases."

Lahiri, who tied 49th at Masters, continued to miss short putts at Hilton Head. Of his four birdies, two were 20 inches or inside, showing some good iron play. His other two birdies were 14 feet (11th) and nine feet (17th), but he missed a seven footer on his last hole for a birdie on ninth.

He also missed a nine-footer for bogey on par-3 fourth, where he went into the water and finally came out with a double bogey. But for that double, he showed good form.

With the number or errors coming down as he get used to the faster green in the US, Lahiri is coming to terms with what he will encounter each week in America.

Spieth followed his 'off-day' with a superb 62 that was one off the record standing in the name of David Frost since 1994. He is now two behind leader, Kuchar.

Spieth started his round with a birdie on No. 10 and never looked back. He made three birdie putts of 12 feet or longer in his first eight holes and reached the turn in four-under 31.

He added three more birdies before chipping in for birdie on eighth and rounded off a fine day by hitting his approach to four feet on the short par-4 ninth which he duly buried for his ninth birdie of the day.

At six-under, he is in contention for his third win in his last five starts. Spieth, now No. 2 in the first world, could challenge Rory McIlroy's No. 1 spot at the WGC-Cadillac Match Play Championship in two weeks time.