Anirban bags maiden title

Lahiri totaled 10-under 278 for the tournament to finish one stroke ahead of C Muniyappa at the Panchkula Golf Club.

Lahiri took home the winner’s cheque of Rs 4,84,950 to climb from fourth to third on the PGTI Order of Merit for 2009.

Lahiri (69, 69, 71, 69) picked up a birdie on the very first hole, The 22-year-old, who was tied fourth after round three, raised his title hopes after he birdied the seventh. Lahiri was in the joint lead along with local lad Mandeo Singh Pathania at the turn as Harendra Gupta, the overnight leader, slipped down the leaderboard due to his poor run on the front nine.

Lahiri added two more birdies to his card on the 10th and 12th to become the sole leader. He made a good 15 feet putt for birdie on the 12th and followed that up with a 12-footer for par on the 13th. The Asian Tour regular found the trees with his tee shot on the 16th but recovered well with two left-handed shots to make a bogey on that hole. He then pulled it left on the final hole but made a good recovery with a second shot (seven iron) from an accurate chip to round off his week on a high.

Lahiri said, “It’s a wonderful feeling after winning my first ever professional title. I have waited a long time for this moment since I have been on the threshold of a win several times in the past but not really got there.”

C Muniyappa (72, 69, 72, 66), another Bangalore golfer, produced the best round of the day to finish in second place at nine-under 279. His round of six under 66 was punctuated by an eagle, six birdies and two bogeys.

Amardip Sinh Malik (70, 67, 71, 73) finished tied third at seven under 281 with Pathania (70, 63, 73, 75) and Ranjit Singh Rathore (69, 70, 70, 72).