Indian golfers Anirban Lahiri, Shiv Kapur miss halfway cut at US Open

Anirban Lahiri missed the halfway cut

University Place (Washington, US), June 20 (IANS): Indian golfers Shiv Kapur and Anirban Lahiri have missed the halfway cut that fell at five-over 145 after the second round of the 115th US Open at the par-70 Chambers Bay here.

Bengaluru-based Lahiri, who scored 75 in the first round, improved his performance on Friday and came out with a two-over 72 on the 7,497-yard course, the longest in US Open history.

Lahiri, who was appearing in his fifth Major, birdied the second and 12th holes but got bogeys on the fourth, sixth, ninth and 10th dashed the 27-year-old's hopes as the current Asian Tour leader missed the cut by two shots.

His compatriot Shiv carded a poor round of seven-over 77 to add to his first round score of 72. The 33-year-old got a total of nine-over 149.

In the second round, Shiv, appearing in his fourth Major, got eight bogeys on the first, fifth, sixth, seventh, 10th, 11th, 13th and 18th. The Delhi-based golfer scored a birdie on the 15th.

Among the big names who missed the the cut were defending champion Martin Kaymer, along with five other past champions: Lucas Glover, Retief Goosen, Lee Janzen, Graeme McDowell and Tiger Woods, the three-time winner who posted his worst 36-hole total (156) in 19 U.S. Open starts.

Others to miss included two-time Masters champion Bubba Watson, 2015 Players champion Rickie Fowler, last edition runner-up Ryan Moore and 15-year-old amateur Cole Hammer.

Meanwhile, reigning Masters champion Jordan Spieth got a share of the lead alongside four-time PGA Tour winner Patrick Reed, both of whom sit at five-under 135.

Spieth, bidding to become the sixth golfer to win the Masters and U.S. Open in the same year, followed up his 68 from Thursday with a three-under 67, while Reed posted a 69 on Friday.

Ten others are within three strokes of the lead. Dustin Johnson, the 18-hole co-leader, and six-time PGA European Tour winner Branden Grace sit one back at four-under 136.

The group at 137 includes two sectional qualifiers from the state of Utah (Daniel Summerhays and Tony Finau), four-time European Tour winner Joost Luiten, of the Netherlands, and 2009 U.S. Amateur runner-up Ben Martin.

Two-time U.S. Open runner-up Jason Day and four-time USPGA Tour winner J.B. Holmes are three back at 138 along with U.S. Open rookie Jamie Lovemark.

Henrik Stenson, who shared the opening round lead with Johnson, struggled to a four-over 74 for a two-day total of 139.

Spieth is the only major champion among those in the red, which might give him a slight edge going into the weekend. He will be in the final pairing with Reed, whom he edged in a three-way playoff to claim the Valspar Championship outside of Tampa, Floria, earlier this year.

The two were also Ryder Cup teammates and partners last fall in Scotland.

"I know that it's going to get tougher and tougher (this weekend)," Spieth, 21 told the official website.

"So I'll draw some on Augusta, but at the same time, my patience level has to be even that much higher. It's a harder golf course than the Masters played this year."

Added Reed: "Yeah, it's definitely going to be a tournament that anyone has a chance to win. If a guy gets hot and shoots seven, eight under par, who knows what he's going to do with the scoreboard.

"That's how it is at every U.S. Open. I just have to go in and take it hole by hole, shot by shot, and hopefully at the end have a shot."

As many as 69 professionals and six amateurs qualified for the final 36 holes.