Lahiri, Ahlawat in six-way tie for day one lead at St Andrews Bay

By Rahul Banerji

Anirban Lahiri and Veer Ahlawat shot 6 under par 66s to share the lead with four others after the first day of the inaugural St Andrews Bay Championship in Scotland on Thursday.

The two Indians were alongside Chile’s Mito Pereira who eagled the final hole, Spain’s David Puig, South African Jaco Ahlers, and Andrew Dodt from Australia at Fairmont St Andrews on an eventful first day.

Lahiri saw an eagle putt attempt lip out and closed with a birdie to join Ahlawat who was one of the early starters at the Asian Tour’s International Series event.

The LIV Golf star who was third last week and second in the previous International Series event he played in, in Vietnam, made the most of the mild conditions on Thursday.

“There are some demanding tee shots, but you just have to grind it out and there are some opportunities that you can take advantage of and makes some birdies,” Lahiri said later on the Asian Tour’s website.

“I am really happy we got such nice weather, I wasn’t expecting it,” the tour’s 2015 Order of Merit topper said.

“I have played a lot of golf in windy conditions, I played in Europe as well, in fact I actually love playing in wind and especially when the conditions get tough. I like it when you have to grind it out.”

Good gains

Lahiri and Ahlawat swapped seven birdies for one dropped shot each even as a clutch of Indians crowded the leaderboard behind them.

Viraj Madappa was one shot behind the top six in a tie for seventh with seven birdies of his own against two bogeys, while Shiv Shankar Prasad Chawrasia and Gaganjeet Bhullar were T23 on 3 under 69s.

Rahil Gangjee, Rashid Khan, and Ajeetesh Sandhu shared 34^th place on 2 under 70 and Chikkarangappa S. was a further shot behind.

Besides the eagle, one of only six on the first day at Fairmont St Andrews, Pereira had six birdies against two dropped shots. The Chilean picked up four shots in a row on his front nine on a sunny day and relatively calm day.

“Nice to finish with the three. It all depends on the wind here, you never know, some days are pretty calm, and then you get 30-mile-an-hour winds,” Pereira said.

Mixed bag

“Today it was not that windy, at some point it started to blow a lot, I would say it’s the average low wind here. I hope it stays this way.

“This week is the same as all the events, hit well off the tee, be in position and try and make some putts. Today the driver worked pretty well, maybe one bad one.”

The 28-year-old has forged a solid partnership with countryman Joaquin Niemann and co-leader Puig on the LIV Golf League this season for Torque GC, who have won four times already.

Puig was T4 in the International Series England near Newcastle last week and was on point again on Thursday with an impressive 10 birdies.

“Pretty crazy to make 10 birdies, I have had 10 birdies in a practice round, but I don’t think in a tournament,” said the 21-year-old, who also made a double and two bogeys.

“I hit an eight iron on 17 but for sure it was a nine. We never saw it bounce and it disappeared, so we went back to the tee but besides that I played very solidly and finished very strong.

Fair going

“Today was fair, it wasn’t that windy. I think I have some advantage as I think I hit it pretty far, so the holes into the wind I can get to the green easily and the ones that are down wind I can hit pretty close to the green, like on nine.”

Koreans Seungtaek Lee and Micah Lauren Shin, Ian Snyman from South Africa, Madappa, American Dru Luv, Thailand’s Rattanon Wannasrichan, and England’s Matt Killen all had 67s in tied seventh place.

Asian Tour Order of Merit leader Andy Ogletree, who won last week hit a 70 while Spanish star Sergio Garcia shot a 5 over 77, having been three under through seven holes before making a double and a triple.

Also read: Lahiri brings in third place finish at International Series England