GAINESVILLE, Va. — Anirban Lahiri has celebrated seven group titles since becoming a member of LIV Golf as a member of Bryson DeChambeau’s Crushers GC throughout the inaugural 2022 season. Now he’s on the verge of having fun with two journeys to the highest of the rostrum Sunday at LIV Golf Virginia.
Lahiri put himself in place for his first particular person LIV title with a bogey-free 7-under 64 in Saturday’s second spherical at Robert Trent Jones Golf Membership. At 11 underneath by way of 36 holes, he leads a trio of main winners — RangeGoats GC Captain Bubba Watson, Cleeks Golf Membership Captain Martin Kaymer and Smash GC’s Graeme McDowell — by two photographs.
Tied for fifth at 7 underneath are LIV Golf’s prime three gamers in factors this season — Torque GC captain Joaquin Niemann, Crushers GC captain DeChambeau and Legion XIII captain Jon Rahm — together with HyFlyers GC captain Phil Mickelson.
With Lahiri main the way in which, the Crushers moved atop the second-round group leaderboard at 21 underneath, one stroke forward of Smash GC. No different group is inside seven photographs of the lead because the Crushers search to win for the second consecutive time this season.
As a result of potential of inclement climate, the shotgun begin time for Sunday’s closing spherical has been moved as much as 8:05 a.m. ET. It guarantees to be a wild shootout amongst a bevy of veteran stars.
(MORE: Learn how to watch LIV Golf Virginia 2025: Schedule, begin time, TV channels, tee instances)
As a lot as Lahiri cherishes his group wins, he’d like to hoist two trophies. He’s been shut on a lot of events; he has 5 second-place finishes on LIV Golf. If he wins on Sunday, it will be his first particular person victory on any tour in 10 years to go along with his Crushers group wins.
“I haven’t felt it, however I’m fairly certain the most effective really feel is to have each trophies,” stated the 37-year-old veteran from India. “… I’m not going on the market to show something to anybody. I simply wish to go on the market and simply play freely. Play like a child.”
He performed like a person possessed for a lot of the second spherical, together with a stretch of six birdies in 9 holes. At one level, he held a four-stroke lead earlier than the chase pack began to shut in.
It appeared Lahiri was opening the door when his tee shot with a 9-iron on the par-3 sixteenth sailed proper and right into a drainage ditch, wherein he acquired a free drop. He managed to save lots of par by holing a 38-1/2-foot putt.
The drama wasn’t over. On his closing gap, the par-4 18th, he hit a free shot into the waste space left of the golf green. His second shot settled into the tough, however a spectacular third shot allowed him to save lots of par from 11 ft.
“Golf is a extremely humorous sport,” Lahiri stated. “You look again to a month in the past. I hit probably the greatest photographs of the yr, hit a flag and make double. I stand on 16, and I hit a shank — I’ll say it out loud — and I nonetheless make par.”
Though Lahiri has had loads of alternatives to interrupt his drought, his major chasers are a few of golf’s most distinguished gamers who’re getting their first actual shot of profitable a person LIV Golf title.
(MORE: 2025 LIV Golf Virginia odds, predictions: Favorites, picks from the sphere)
Two-time Masters champ Watson shot a 6-under 65 and can play within the closing group on Sunday for simply the second time. His final win of any variety was seven years in the past.
“I’d like to carry a trophy one among lately at LIV,” Watson stated, “however the different guys wish to do that very same factor.”
Kaymer and McDowell every gained majors in 2010, as did Mickelson. Together with Watson, they’ve proven that have and veteran savvy are paying big dividends on a course designed by celebrated architect Robert Trent Jones Sr.
“As all the time right here on LIV, it’s a fantastic leaderboard,” stated the 2010 U.S. Open champ McDowell after his 5-under 66. “I’m excited to be up there. Excited to present myself most likely my first alternative on LIV.”
“It’s been a very long time for me that I’ve gained a event,” added Kaymer, a two-time main winner and former world No. 1 who shot a 4-under 67 on Saturday. “It’s good to have the possibility once more to really feel that warmth tomorrow.”
They’ll begin early Sunday morning attempting to chase down Lahiri, who hopes to make use of the teachings of his earlier shut calls to get the job accomplished Sunday.
“I’ve been responsible of enjoying a bit defensively, particularly after I’ve gotten shut,” he stated. “… You need to go and assault and make as many birdies as you may. The one massive studying from me is whether or not I’m three forward or two again, I’m nonetheless going to try to birdie each gap.”
TEAM SCORES
LIV Golf’s new scoring format this season now includes all 4 scores now counting in each spherical within the group competitors. Listed here are the outcomes and scores for every group after Saturday’s Spherical 2 of LIV Golf Virginia.
1. CRUSHERS GC -21 (Lahiri 64, Casey 66, DeChambeau 69, Howell III 71: Rd. 2 rating: -14)
2. SMASH GC -20 (McDowell 66, Gooch 67, Kokrak 67, Koepka 70: Rd. 2 rating: -14)
3. 4ACES GC -13 (Varner III 66, Johnson 69, Pieters 69, Reed 74: Rd. 2 rating: -6)
4. TORQUE GC -12 (Ortiz 65, Niemann 68, Muñoz 69, Pereira 73: Rd. 2 rating: -9)
5. Stinger GC -11 (Oosthuizen 65, Grace 67, Schwartzel 69, Burmester 72: Rd. 2 Rating: -11)
6. CLEEKS Golf Membership -9 (Kaymer 67, Meronk 68, Bland 70, Kjettrup 71: Rd. 2 Rating: -8)
7. RANGEGOATS GC -8 (Watson 65, Campbell 73, Schniederjans 73, Uihlein 74: Rd. 2 rating: +1)
8. LEGION XIII -5 (Hatton 68, Rahm 68, McKibbin 70, Surratt 70: Rd. 2 rating: -8)
T9. HYFLYERS GC E (Mickelson 68, Steele 69, Tringale 71, Ogletree 72: Rd. 2 rating: -4)
T9. IRON HEADS GC E (Jang 69, Na 69, Lee 72, Kozuma 73: Rd. 2 rating: -1)
11. Fireballs GC +4 (Masaveu 68, Ancer 70, Garcia 72, Ballester 73: Rd. 2 Rating: -1)
12. RIPPER GC +8 (Smith 70, Leishman 71, Herbert 73, Jones 75: Rd. 2 rating: +5)
13. MAJESTICKS GC +12 (Horsfield 67, Stenson 69, Westwood 72, Poulter 76: Rd. 2 rating: E)
Wild Playing cards: Kim 72, C. Lee 76
This piece is courtesy of Mike McAllister in partnership with Life golf.
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