Lahiri opens with modest two-under 69 at Vegas

Indian golfer Anirban Lahiri shot a modest two-under 69 in the first round to be placed Tied-67 at the Shriners Hospitals for Children Open.

Lahiri, who has made only one cut in three starts this season, hit 11 of 14 fairways and 12 of 18 greens in regulation on Thursday.

He missed no putts inside 10 feet, yet he finished with only 69 and now needs a good second round to make the weekend cut.

Starting from the 10th, Lahiri started with four pars before his tee shot went 147 yards to the right front greenside bunker and he had a bogey.

But he got that shot back on Par-3 17th. On the par-4 18th hole, Lahiri reached the green in two and sank a fine 18-foot putt for birdie to turn in one-under.

A nice approach to 11 feet for birdie got him to two-under and then he hit yet another great approach to just under 12 feet for a fourth straight birdie and got to three-under. Over the next seven holes, he had two birdies, two pars and three bogeys.

Nick Taylor had a struggle getting pars on his first two holes, but then hit a purple patch including a six-hole stretch at 6-under par. His drive on the 314-yard 14th hole at the TPC Summerlin landed five feet away for eagle. He birdied all the par 5s and had no bogeys as he shot 8-under 63 for a one-shot lead over Brian Harman.

Phil Mickelson, who missed the cut last week at the Safeway Open, carded 65 for his lowest round since a second-round 65 in the WGC-Mexico Championship late February.

Mickelson, Brian Gay, Sam Ryder, Brian Stuard and Maverick McNealy were at 65.

Brooks Koepka, who had stem cell treatment on his left knee on August 25 after the FedExCup ended, began his season by needing two birdies over the last four holes just to break par. He opened with a 70.

Defending champion Bryson DeChambeau and Patrick Cantlay, who won the previous year, each shot 66.