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It was a disappointing start for Anirban Lahiri whose putting woes continued in the first round of the Charles Schwab Challenge at the Colonial Country Club.
He ended with a 7-over 77 that will make it very difficult for him to make the cut, but a good second round will give him confidence for the coming weeks.
Most parts of Lahiri’s game seemed to be out of sync on a day when he did manage almost 65 per cent accuracy but reached only 50 per cent greens in regulation. It was on the greens that there were most of his problems, as he missed makeable putts, when he did get inside 10 feet or around that distance.
Lahiri, who started the week at 117 on the FedEx Cup ranking needs to stay inside 125 to qualify for the FedExCup Playoffs for the first time since 2018.
Meanwhile, the 2016 Charles Schwab Challenge champion Jordan Spieth seeking his second win of the season birdied his last three holes (Nos. 7-9) for a round of 7-under 63 for a share of the lead with Sergio Garcia, who won this event in 2001.
Phil Mickelson, 50, winner of the 2000 and 2008 Charles Schwab Challenge opened with a 3-over 73.
Two shots behind the leaders, Spieth and Garcia, were Erik Compton and Jason Kokrak with rounds of 65 each. Two players were at 4-under, and among the six at 3-under was An Byeong-Hun, who birdied the last three holes for a 67 to emerge as leading Asian after the first round.
Ranked 162nd on the FedExCup points list, An is fighting to get into the top-125 to qualify for the Playoffs for the fifth successive year.
It was a bogey-free start for. Spieth shot his lowest at the Colonial and was playing in Mickelson’s company. Spieth needed just 23 putts. A top-10 finish this week would be his eighth of the season in 18 starts and a win could overtake the No. 1 spot in the FedExCup
Garcia, trying to mark the 20th anniversary of his win at the Charles Schwab Challenge, also had a bogey free round as did the two-time heart transplant recipient Erik Compton who carded a bogey-free 5-under 65 and was T-3, while defending champion Daniel Berger sits T14 at 2-under 68.
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