Anirban Lahiri
Ahmedabad, January 29, 2014: Anirban Lahiri burnt the
course with a dazzling eight-under-64 to take the round one lead at the PGTI
Ahmedabad Masters presented by Kalhaar Blues & Greens, a PGTI Super Series
event. The Bangalorean’s round one exploits helped him set the course record at
the Kalhaar Blues and Greens Golf Club which is staging its first ever
professional event. Angad Cheema of Panchkula posted a creditable six-under-66
to lie second on day one of the PGTI’s season-opener for 2014.
Anirban Lahiri was on a roll from the fifth hole onwards
where he sank his first birdie from 10 feet. The 26-year-old went on a
birdie-spree picking up strokes on six consecutive holes from the seventh to
the 12th. He landed it within five feet on the eighth and 10th and knocked
down 15-footers on the ninth and 11th. Anirban, who recently finished third on
the 2013 Asian Tour Order of Merit, moved to nine-under for the day after
birdies on the 14th and 15th. Lahiri closed with a bogey on the 18th after
his tee shot landed in the bunker and rolled into the water.
“It was an unbelievable round. I didn’t expect to fire such
a low number. I played the course for the first time during my practice round
yesterday and was a little confused about some holes. Nonetheless, my
phenomenal hitting and outstanding approach shots helped me end the day at
eight-under. I felt I was a little lucky as there was hardly any wind today. It
could’ve been a different story had the wind been in play. I was nine-under
over a stretch of 11 holes from the fifth to the 15th. This is my personal
best,” said Lahiri, the highest ranked Indian currently at World No. 105.
He added, “This is one of the best courses I have ever
played at. The lay-out is comparable to world standards and the stretch from
the 13th to the 16th can be very challenging if the wind is up. I’ve
taken a lot of confidence from my performances last year as I not only recorded
my best season on the Asian Tour but also won the last three tournaments that I
played on the PGTI.”
Angad Cheema and Anirban Lahiri’s mutual admiration
Angad Cheema, playing in the same group as Anirban Lahiri,
produced seven birdies and a lone bogey to fire a six-under-66 that placed him
second. Cheema, who made three birdie putts from a range of 20 to 30 feet,
seemed to be inspired by his playing partner Anirban Lahiri’s immaculate 64.
Cheema said, “I learnt a lot playing with Anirban who is also a good friend.
The quality of golf shots I witnessed from Anirban today helped lift my
confidence as well. We were very relaxed and pulling each other’s leg while on
the course.”
Lahiri, on the other hand, was all praise for Cheema’s
putting. He said, “Angad came up with some unbelievable putts. If I was putting
like him, I would be playing on the European Tour.”
Kanishk Madan gets over the disappointment of 2013
Kanish Madan fired a five-under-67 to be placed tied third
after round one on Wednesday. Madan thus got over his disappointment from
the end of last season. The Delhi
golfer had bogeyed the last hole in the penultimate event of the season to miss
out on a top-60 finish in the Rolex Rankings. This had resulted in Kanishk
missing out his exemption from the Qualifying
School Qualifying
School
Om Prakash Chouhan of Mhow carded a superb five-under-67 to
be placed tied third. Chouhan was eight-under from the third through the 12th thanks
to eight birdies. This included a run of six straight birdies from the third to
the eighth. Chouhan finally ended the day at five-under after stumbling with
three bogeys over the last six holes.
Arjun Singh of Delhi
joined Kanishk Madan and Om Prakash Chouhan in tied fourth.
Kolkata’s SSP Chowrasia, Abhinav Lohan of Faridabad
and Delhi ’s
Pawan Kumar fired four-under-68 to occupy joint sixth place.
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