Dubai: Anirban Lahiri endured a topsy-turvy day, during which he played 33 holes but stayed exactly where he was at the start of Saturday, when he began at two-under through his first 21 holes at the Omega Dubai Desert Classic.
After his 69 on first day, he shot a 75 and 70 to lie two-under through 54 holes at tied 41st, while the other Indian making the cut, amateur Rayhan Thomas (68-75-74) had a one-over total and was T-58.
Dubai-based Thomas, India’s top ranked amateur, had three doubles and one triple bogey but the 17-year-old also hit nine birdies. Sergio Garcia (68) and Henrik Stenson (67) gave an great exhibition of ‘putting by instinct’ in near pitch-darkness to finish their third round.
After Stenson made his final birdie in failing light, Garcia’s group did even better in greater darkness. Garcia and George Coetzee birdied while Elvira Nachos landed an eagle.
Garcia shot 68 and moved to 16-under and now holds a three-shot lead over Stenson (67). Ian Poulter (67) and Prom Meesawat (68) were tied third at 11-under.
On Saturday, the momentum kept slipping away just when it seemed to be coming Lahiri’s way. Starting on the fourth hole for his second round, he had three birdies and one bogey over the next 12 to move to four-under.
A bogey on the 16th set him back, and on the 18th, he went into water. By the time he came out, he had a crippling eight against his name. From four-under for 33 holes he was even par in 36.
In the third round, Lahiri bogeyed and birdied once in his first six holes followed by a birdie run for the next four holes. “I had chances on both third and fourth to make the birdie run longer, but the putts didn’t fall,” said Lahiri. Then as in each of his three rounds, he gave away a lot of the gains in the closing stages with bogeys.
“I have just not finished well in any of the rounds. I gave away two strokes in last three holes in first round, then four in last three in second round and again two in third round. That’s eight shots,” added Lahiri.
