New Delhi, September 8, 2015: Anirban Lahiri has accomplished yet another glorious feat
for Indian golf as he becomes the first Indian to secure a place in the
International Team for the Presidents Cup scheduled to be played in Incheon City , South Korea
The Presidents Cup, a biennial event, played between the United States of America and the International
Team (Rest of the World minus Europe) is one of the two biggest men’s team
competitions in international golf besides the Ryder Cup which is played between
USA and Europe .
Lahiri, currently ranked 40th in the world, made the
grade on merit as an automatic qualifier thanks to his seventh position in the
International Team standings. The top-10 players earned automatic spots in the
team.
Anirban, the current Asian Tour Order of Merit leader and a
two-time winner on the European Tour this season, had last month etched his
name in golden letters in the annals of Indian golf with a top-5 at the PGA
Championship at Whistling Straits. It was the best-ever result for an Indian at
a Major.
“I can’t describe the feeling because growing up you look up
to events like the Ryder Cup and feel terrible about it as you can’t be a part
of something like that. But thankfully, we have the Presidents Cup for us to
aim for and it is an achievement to make the team,” said Lahiri.
“I know Jeev (Milkha Singh) was really close to getting in
one year when he was in the world’s top-50 and unfortunately, he couldn’t due
to injury. It would have done a lot of good for golf, not just in India but in Asia .
“I’m looking forward to being a part of the International
Team. It’ll be a massive boost for golf in the region. You get so many eyeballs
and everybody in America
will be watching. To be a part of something historic like that is extremely
special. All I want to do is make sure that I get a point for the International
Team,” added the 28-year-old Indian, who has seven international titles to his
credit.
As Anirban heads to Korea for his Presidents Cup debut,
he will be encouraged by the fact that he had a successful outing at his first
international team event, the inaugural EurAsia Cup in 2014. Lahiri made a huge
contribution to Team Asia’s tantalizing come-from-behind 10-10 draw with Team
Europe at the EurAsia Cup.
Lahiri’s teammates in the International Team will include
the likes of Major champions Jason Day (Australia ),
Louis Oosthuizen (South Africa ),
Adam Scott (Australia ),
Charl Schwartzel (South Africa )
and other leading international stars such as Branden Grace (South Africa ), Marc Leishman (Australia ) and Danny Lee (New Zealand ) as well as fellow Asian superstars
Hideki Matsuyama (Japan ) and
Thongchai Jaidee (Thailand ).
Captain Nick Price (Zimbabwe )
will name two Captain’s picks later on Tuesday.
The U.S.
team will consist of Jordan Spieth, Bubba Watson, Jimmy Walker, Zach Johnson,
Jim Furyk, Rickie Fowler, Dustin Johnson, Patrick Reed, Matt Kuchar and Chris
Kirk, with two more Captain’s (Jay Haas) picks to be included.
The Presidents Cup, being played in Asia for the first time,
will be held at the esteemed Jack Nicklaus Golf Club in Songdo IBD, Incheon City USA has dominated the event since
its inception in 1994, having won on eight out of 10 editions. The
International Team’s only victory came in 1998 while there was a tie between
the two teams in 2003.
Uttam Singh Mundy, Director, PGTI, said, “We at the PGTI
congratulate Anirban for becoming the first Indian to earn a place in the
International Team for the Presidents Cup. Anirban’s latest achievement is a
result of his exceptional performances around the world in recent years. This
landmark moment for Indian golf would contribute in further popularizing the
sport in the country. The PGTI’s sustained efforts in providing a robust
domestic structure at home, aim at producing more such champions who follow in
Anirban’s footsteps in the coming years.”
PGTI Press release
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