04-08-2020

Rewind: When Anirban Lahiri posted a momentous 12-under-60 to set the record for the lowest-to-par 18-hole score on the PGTI

Anirban Lahiri took the Jaypee Greens Golf Resort by storm as he dished out a momentous 12-under-60 in round two of the BILT Open 2011 on November 3. Lahiri thus set the record for the lowest-to-par 18-hole score on the PGTI.

Lahiri, who shot a one-under-71 in round one, now enjoys a three-stroke lead as his total reads 13-under-131. Chiragh Kumar is placed second at 10-under-134.

The cut was declared at four-over-148. Sixty-two professionals made the cut.

Anirban Lahiri (71-60) got off to an unbelievable start on day two as he holed his approach shot from 90 yards to make eagle on the 10th. The 24-year-old, who is already a winner of eight professional titles, gathered steam by picking up birdies on the 11th and 12th. Anirban almost pulled off an eagle on the 12th where his third shot from 100 yards missed the pin by a whisker. However, he holed out from exactly the same distance for eagle on the very next hole.

The Bangalore lad went up to seven-under for the day after five holes when he sank a 15-footer for birdie on the 14th. Lahiri dropped his only bogey of the day after his four feet putt lipped-out on the 15th. Anirban made the turn at eight-under after he knocked-in birdies on the 16th and 18th. He converted a 30-feet putt on the 18th.

Lahiri, the 2009 PGTI Order of Merit champion, was in sensational putting form on his second nine that helped him seal four more birdies (third, fourth, fifth and seventh). He holed a 20-footer on the third and a 25 feet putt on the fifth. Anirban’s longest putt of the day was a 30 feet conversion on the seventh. Lahiri’s sublime effort helped him eclipse the previous course record of eight-under-64 set by Jyoti Randhawa at the 2008 BILT Open.

“This is the kind of round one dreams of. I was very lucky with my start today. I was confident of hitting it well, my chipping was fantastic and I putted to perfection on the second nine. I felt I was due for a deep round such as this one. It had been a long time since I shot a really low number.

“I was a little upset with my first round effort since it felt like a four-over. I had as many as five lip-outs on day one as I was struggling to read the speed of the greens. I did some speed drills last evening in order to sort out that problem. The drills had the desired effect since I got good speed on the greens in round two.

“I managed to stay calm and didn’t get too excited after the splendid start in round two. I was quite comfortable on the greens. I could’ve gone lower had the 25-feet putt for birdie on the closing ninth not stopped just short of the hole,” said Lahiri, the winner of the last two editions of the BILT Open.