Calm Lahiri ends home title drought
Eight years ago fresh out of school, teenager Anirban Lahiri came to the Eagleton golf resort to pursue his fairways dreams. On a muggy Friday afternoon, he fulfilled one of them. With a final round of three-under 69, Lahiri won his maiden PGTI crown on his home course.
With little fuss or drama, the 26-year-old coasted to a five-stroke victory in the PGTI Eagleburg Open golf tournament.
With a tournament total of 20-under 268, he finished five strokes ahead of another home course favourite S. Chikkarangappa. Lucknow’s Sanjay Kumar had to be content with the third position.
For most part of the round, the home boys looked like buddies out on a friendly round of golf, egging on each other.
But Lahiri — in sizzling form in the previous two rounds — looked a tad complacent, but did enough to ensure the title did not slip out of his grasp. Cheered on by a vociferous crowd, Lahiri, started the proceedings with a bang, sinking a 25-feet birdie on the first hole. A bad line misjudged tee shot on the next two holes saw the Bengaluru golfer drop two shots on the trot. But with his driving being the high point of his game on the day, Lahiri consolidated a two-putt birdie on the fourth.
On the front nine two more birdies followed the sixth and the ninth holes as he made the turn with a six-shot advantage. Then, for a while, Lahiri’s attention wavered and by his own admission, the concentration slipped as he looked out for Chikka and Rahil Gangjee’s progress. This resulted in bogeys on the 12th and 14th.
On the par-5 15th hole, Lahiri regrouped himself and eyed an eagle, but settled for a birdie before adding another on the penultimate hole. He signed off with a 25-feet par putt on the final hole as the crowd erupted in joy. Chikka, on the other hand, did well to turn in a bogey-free four-under to finish the tournament at 15-under 273.
Final scores (72 holes): 268: Anirban Lahiri (73, 62, 64, 69); 273: S. Chikkarangappa (72, 67, 66, 68); 275: Sanjay Kumar (69, 67, 68, 71); 276: 68, 71, 67, 70); 279: Arshpreet Thind (68, 71, 68, 72)
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