Freak accident derails Lahiri as DeChambeau stays ahead at LIV Golf Korea

It was a monstrous price to pay for accuracy as Crushers GC member Anirban Lahiri having a solid second day at LIV Golf Korea in Incheon, saw his approach shot smash into a flagstick and carom off into an adjoining pond. The resultant double-bogey completely threw the India star off-track and from a position in the top 10, he would end the day way down the leaderboard. 

However, some consolation came from Lahiri’s team captain, Bryson DeChambeau, who ended day two at the Jack Nicklaus Golf Club Korea in the sole lead after 36 holes in his third consecutive LIV Golf event. The US Open champion carded a second successive bogey-free round, his 6 under par 66 giving him a four-shot lead over Richard Bland of Cleeks GC. 

It is the fifth time DeChambeau topped the field after 36 holes since joining LIV Golf. He is yet to cash in on any of those leads, including the two previous LIV Golf tournaments and the Masters last month. 

In Miami, he was led by two shots in the final round, but he was overtaken by Ripper GC’s Marc Leishman. Last week in Mexico City, he was up by a stroke before he was reeled in by eventual winner and rankings leader Joaquin Niemann of Torque GC. 

Asked what he must do Sunday to chalk up his third LIV Golf win, DeChambeau said, “Just be a kid out there. Have a lot of fun. Go back to my roots. Just get it done.”’ 

For Lahiri though, there was little to smile about. Having picked up three shots in as many holes, a freak accident completely stalled his round when his approach shot on hole 9 hit the flagstick and rolled across the green and into water. 

The resultant double bogey was followed with a triple on the next hole and another double on the 12th en route to a 7 over par 79 and as playing partner Dean Burmester of the all-South African Stinger GC noted, “How brutal this game can be to anybody. A head-spinner. If that was me, I think I would’ve jumped in the lake.” 

“He’s a good friend of mine and we get along well,” the South African said. “It was tough to see him go through that today.” 

Lahiri’s score for the day was also a factor in his team dropping back into a tie for second place six shots behind Brooks Koepka’s Smash GC, who are searching for their first win of the season. Overnight co-leader Talor Gooch fell away after a 71 on Saturday, but teammates Jason Kokrak (67), Graeme McDowell (69) and Koepka (70) picked up the slack. 

With an 11-under run on May 3, Smash are 21 under after 36 holes and well clear of the three-way tie for second place between Torque, RangeGoats GC and the Crushers with the Stingers a further three shots adrift in sole fifth place. 

DeChambeau is yet to drop a shot in Incheon and has translated his power and accuracy into a four-shot lead. Among his playing partners on Sunday is the 52-year-old Bland, making for a group that includes the reigning US Open and US Senior Open winners. 

The Englishman though knows it will be a tough ask hauling in the explosive American who leads the field in driving distance. “This kind of course is tailor-made for him,” Bland said. “I’ve probably got to shoot something in double digits to get anywhere near him.” 

Meanwhile, the consistent Jon Rahm recovered from an indifferent start on Friday before he eagled the par-5 18th and then built on that momentum in the second round, as he shot a 66 to move into a tie for ninth. The Spaniard is now in line to keep his record of top 10 finishes in every completed LIV Golf start intact.