Kapur, Lahiri endure tough 1st round

India’s star players Shiv Kapur and Anirban Lahiri endured a tough day and a sprinkling of three-putts during their modest first round outing at the US Open golf tournament here.

Kapur, playing for the second year running at the US Open, carded a two-over 72 after being three-over after just six holes. He was tied 52nd. Overall he had three birdies between ninth and 16th against five bogeys.

Lahiri had a tougher day with a five-over 75 that put him in a grave danger of missing the cut at 123rd place. Lahiri dropped a double bogey, five other bogeys and had just two birdies in his 75.

Incidentally also tied at 52nd was Rory McIlroy, with two birdies against four bogeys.

After two pars, Kapur three-putted from 40 feet on the par-3 third for his first bogey. He made further bogeys on fifth and sixth. But he staged a great <g data-gr-id="30">fight back</g> from there to pick birdies on ninth with a lovely tee shot on the par-3 and holed from seven feet.

Another birdie came on 12th and then came two more disappointing bogeys on 14th and 15th. 

A bogey on 14th was followed by a visit to <g data-gr-id="25">greenside</g> bunker on 15th and that was another bogey. A minor consolation was a 30-foot birdie on 17th.

Kapur, who was tied 23rd last year, said: “I did fight back with birdies on ninth and <g data-gr-id="28">12th,</g> but gave them away with some three-putts and I missed some really small ones.