Spieth defends five-shot lead at Masters; Lahiri makes cut
AUGUSTA: Jordan Spieth carried a five-stroke lead into Masters weekend on Saturday, aiming to convert two days of inspired golf into a first major title at the tender age of 21.
The Texan has set Augusta National alight with two rounds that saw him record 15 birdies against just one bogey. In so doing, he became the youngest player to lead the Masters after the first round, and his 130 halfway total is the lowest-ever in 79 editions of the year’s first major.
He is firmly in a winning position, but remains aware that he still has much to do, as he learned last year when he led the Masters after 54 holes, but ended up tied for second behind Bubba Watson.
“Just like I’ve said each time every day, what I learned was patience,” he said after his 66 in the second round.
ROLLER-COASTER RIDE Indian golfer Anirban Lahiri rode a roller-coaster before finally making the cut on his first appearance at the Masters here on Saturday.
The 27-year-old current Asia No 1, who shot one-under 71 on the first day seemed to be sitting pretty before the day began but soon ran into trouble.
Anirban became the second Indian after Jeev Milkha Singh (2007 and 2008) to make the cut at the Masters.
Through the rest of the day, Lahiri kept getting into problems by dropping shots and then extricated himself with some sublime shots to end the day at three-over 75 that gave him a 36-hole total of two-over 146 and got him a tee time for weekend action.