JOIN USLahiri seals miracle triumph
Ahead of the final round on Sunday even Anirban Lahiri did not give himself the chance of winning the $1.5 million Hero Indian Open.
He had finished the third round seven shots behind overnight leader SSP Chawrasia and with the wind at the Delhi Golf Club (DGC) swirling notoriously, he preferred to pull all stops at the possibilities. He instead focussed on his play, and played in a way which only he knows.
In what turned out to be one of the most dramatic finishes here, Lahiri edged out an erratic Chawrasia in play-off after quietly clawing his way to the top with a two-under 69. He later called it a “crazy week”. It indeed was. For it was the second European Tour title for the 27-year-old, who came into the tournament with the high of winning another co-sanctioned event -- the Maybank Open -- just two weeks ago. It was also the first time the trophy has gone to an Indian since C Muniyappa won it in 2009. Interestingly, this is the fourth time Lahiri won an event at the DGC in a play-off.
“The new Hero Indian Open winner? That has a nice ring to it. I really didn’t think that I will be in this position considering the way SSP and Siddikur have been playing. I thought all of us were playing for third,” said Lahiri, who will likely move just outside 30th on the Official World Golf Ranking.
“I didn’t know what was going on until I reached the ninth green. I was walking up and my caddy said we have a chance.” Chawrasia, the sentimental favourite, had to swallow his fourth runner-up finish. He had led all three days, didn’t drop a shot for 52 holes, but a terrible final round of 76 forced him to settle for a play-off with Lahiri at the par-five 18th hole. But Chawrasia couldn’t even make the par after hitting his tee shot into the trees, allowing a now-confident Lahiri to hole 10 feet birdie for an unexpected victory. Both Chawrasia and Lahiri ended regulation play at 277.
Sweden’s Joakim Lagergren, Thailand's Prayad Marksaeng, Sri Lanka's Mithun Perera and Australian Marcus Fraser, who briefly led outright before dropping shots on back nine, all shared the third place on six-under.
Defending champion Siddikur Rahman, too, led after five straight pars but five dropped dropped in six holes on the back nine undid his good work.
Unlike him, Lahiri excelled under the challenging conditions and mounting pressure. He went off to a flying start with three birdies in five holes and even though he began to taper off at one stage, he benefited from a stuttering Chawrasia, who had sunk two bogeys and doubles bogeys on front nine.
A brilliant approach gave Lahiri a crucial birdie on the 16th hole but what stood out was his brilliant par save at the 17th with a chip after he had driven into trees. With Lahiri now in contention, Chawrasia needed to birdie the last hole, but failed, despite being lucky when his wayward tee shot bounced off the trees at the right. Rest, as they say, was history.
Leading scores after 72 rounds (Indians unless mentioned): 277: Anirban Lahiri (73, 65, 70, 69), SSP Chawrasia (65, 67, 69, 76). Lahiri wins via play-off. 278: Joakim Lagergren (Swe, 65, 71, 73, 69), Mithun Perera (SL, 67, 72, 70,69), Prayad Marksaeng (Tha, 68, 70, 69, 71), Marcus Fraser (Aus, 69, 70, 67, 72); 279: Romain wattel (Fra, 70, 74, 67, 68), Richard McEvoy (Eng, 70, 67, 72, 70), Siddikur Rahman (Ban, 65, 68, 70, 76);280: Paul Peterson (US, 69, 68, 71, 72); 281: Daniel Chopra (Swe, 70, 72, 65, 74).