JOIN USTwo years ago after he had the Royal Lytham and St Annes abuzz with a stunning hole-in-one, ace Indian golfer Anirban Lahiri is back at the Open Championship for a second start.
The 27-year-old, who has won four Asian Tour titles and leads the continent’s Order of Merit, got a late exemption forcing a change in his plans, including cutting short his honeymoon.
After losing an old passport with a valid visa, money and a bag and then getting delayed due to flights, Lahiri is finally at Hoylake to begin his second campaign at the oldest of the four Majors, starting on Thursday.
“It is always great to say I am playing the Open. That’s the Major we knew most about,” says Lahiri.
Also, because of the time difference, Indians see the British Open more often on TV than the other three Majors in the United States.
Lahiri arrived here in Hoylake on Saturday and immediately got down to business, putting in three practice rounds in three days.
“I played 18 on Sunday, 16 on Monday and a bit on Tuesday,” said Lahiri, who is trying to shake off the effects of tiredness caused by off-course anxieties of late. “Honestly, I have had more problems off the course than on course,” he said with a laugh, adding “but now I am focused.”
“I’m really enjoying being here, it’s a lot of fun. I love playing links golf. I think it suits my game as I’m a lot of hands and feel and not so mechanical,” Lahiri said. “Out here (at Links), you have to commit to every shot. In the practice rounds so far, it’s been about figuring out which shot I want to hit and committing to it. A few times previously, I wasn’t sure and hit shots which have been destructive,” he added.
“I have played in two different kinds of winds over the past two days which is very important. On one hole, I hit driver and three iron and today I hit three iron and pitching wedge,” said Lahiri.
No sooner is he done with the Open, Lahiri will fly back to Delhi to get his fresh US Visa to fly for the PGA Championship. And if he does well at these two Majors and carries on the good, a whole new world will open up for him as he tries to move up from his current ranking of 81st in the world.