Anirban Lahiri triumphs at the inaugural Panasonic Open – Golf news
India’s 23-year-old Anirban Lahiri won the inaugural Panasonic Open after a dramatic finish at the Delhi Golf Course, on Saturday. Lahiri, who had started off the tournament with a dazzling string of birdies, later had slumped down the leaderboard owing
to his lacklustre performance in the next two rounds.
The final day saw some extraordinary performances from both Lahiri and his countryman, Manav Jaini, who gradually and steadily worked their way up and surpassed the overnight leader, Mardan Mamat. The three were tied for a playoff finishing for an aggregate
of 275, each. Lahiri won when he pulled in a birdie at the Playoff while Mamat and Jaini were barely able to manage their pars.
Everything appeared to be having turned out just fine as this is Lahiri’s maiden win on the Asian Tour on a course which had led him down in the past. He came close to win his maiden title on the Asian Tour when he forced into contention at the Johnnie Walker
Cambodian Open, but finished tied for fourth.
Lahiri said, “This is really a special feeling for me. Somebody once told me that if I could win at the Delhi Golf Club, I would probably be laughing as I have had such a bad record here. I guess the joke is on them now.”
He reportedly contacted his psychiatrist before the Playoff hole and was told to concentrate on his abilities, a suggestion which Lahiri remarked really paid off. Born in Bangalore, Lahiri won six Amateur championships before turning professional.
Mamat, who had led the leaderboard in the second and third rounds, probably gave in to the huge pressure mounted by the two Indians. Without a win on the Asian Tour for the last five years, the 43-year-old Mamat could not avoid the fatal bogeys at the 8th,
10th and 13th hole. Final blow to his two round lead came at the 17th, where he double-bogeyed the hole. Mamat blamed the six iron he used on the Par three 17th for his loss.
Mardan said, “It was a bad club selection and it cost me dearly. It was not my day but what I can take from this week's performance is that I've have the ability to compete at the highest level and I'm looking forward to Malaysia next week.”
Jaini also competed in remarkable fashion, withstanding the final-hole jitters to last until the Playoff. He did a lot of work in the final round to climb on the leaderboard with four birdies but was pulled back with two bogeys at 9th and 13th,
respectively.
The tournament was sponsored by electronic giant, Panasonic, and co-sanctioned by Asian Tour and Professional Golfers Tour of India (PGTI). Panasonic has also pledged to sponsor the Asia-Pacific Panasonic Open, due in September. Jaini, Mamat along with Lahiri,
the three top players of this tournament, will be invited to participate in it.
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