St. Andrews, Fife, Scotland, 20-07-2015
LAHIRI POSTS HIS BEST MAJOR FINISH AS HE CLAIMS TIED 30TH AT THE OPEN
INDIAN CARDS EVEN-PAR-72 IN FINAL ROUND TO END WITH SIX-UNDER TOTAL
India’s Anirban Lahiri posted his best Major finish as he claimed tied 30th place at the 2015 British Open. Lahiri, playing at the Old Course in St Andrews for the first time this week, signed off at the world’s oldest Major with an even-par 72 on Monday to end up with a total of six-under-282.
American Zach Johnson emerged champion after defeating South African Louis Oosthuizen and Australian Marc Leishman in a four-hole playoff. Johnson, Oosthuizen and Leishman headed into the playoff after ending the regulation 72 holes with identical totals of 15-under-273.
Anirban, who began the day in tied 26th and six off the lead, was in with a chance of improving upon the previous best Indian finish at a Major (Jeev Milkha Singh’s tied ninth at the PGA Championship 2008) and at The Open (Jyoti Randhawa’s tied 27th in 2004). Even though Lahiri didn’t achieve these two milestones, he ended up bettering his own previous best at a Major. His previous best of tied 31st came at the British Open 2012 which was also his debut Major appearance.
Lahiri was determined for a quick charge from the opening tee on Monday. However, the script did not go as per plan for the 28-year-old from Bengaluru as he suffered an early setback with a bogey on the opening hole.
Playing along with former Open champion Paul Lawrie of Scotland, Lahiri then fought back gallantly with four birdies on holes four, five, seven and nine for an outward 33.
But a woeful back-nine where he dropped four shots in his last six holes marred his card and undid all his good work in his outward-nine even though he picked up a consolation birdie on the closing 18th.
Anirban’s week could be summed up by the fact that he was 10-under on the front-nine and four-over on the back-nine through the four rounds.
“I can’t say I played well because I dropped too many shots over the last two days which is disappointing. I hit into the bunker so many times this week and it cost me a shot every time.
“When you hit into these traps and get bitten, you realise how far you have to hit to stay away from them. But it has been a great learning experience and you learn from them especially when you play on the course for the first time,” said Lahiri, who knows he will return as a more accomplished player next year.
The supremely talented Indian believes it was his inexperience that cost him dearly in the final stages of the event.
“I played with Paul Lawrie today and he’s a past champion. He’s so comfortable on the greens and it took him just five seconds to know where his putts were breaking.
“For me, I was still trying to figure it out. So, that speaks volume of what experience does and it showed in me today,” said Lahiri.
Lahiri, who will now turn his attention to the European Masters that is co-sanctioned by the Asian Tour and European Tour in Switzerland later this week, continues to remain upbeat of making his impression on the international stage one day.
“It’s good that I’m playing these sorts of events and on such courses. I can only get better as I progress,” said Lahiri.
Anirban has enjoyed phenomenal success in 2015 so far. He has won two European Tour titles, climbed to a career-best 33 in the world rankings, led the Asian Tour rankings for most of the year, delivered a creditable performance at his Masters debut and emerged as a strong contender to be part of the International Team at the Presidents Cup later this year, a first for an Indian. Now his top-class performance at The Open is another reminder of his growing stature on the international stage.
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