PGTI: Anirban Lahiri cruises to six-stroke win

Ahmedabad: Anirban Lahiri cruised to a six-stroke win at the PGTI Ahmedabad Masters presented by Kalhaar Blues & Greens on Saturday to make it four wins out of four starts on the PGTI. The Bangalore-based professional signed off with a three-under-69 in the final round to end up with a tournament total of 14-under-274 at the Rs. 50 lakh PGTI Super Series event. Kolkata’s Rahil Gangjee claimed the runner-up position at eight-under-280 after submitting a card of five-under-67 in round four.
 
Anirban Lahiri (64-70-71-69), the overnight leader by four shots, faced stiff resistance from SSP Chowrasia early on who birdied the first two holes to reduce Lahiri’s lead to two shots. Anirban however, sank a 15-feet birdie putt on the third to regain a four-shot lead as Chowrasia dropped bogey.

There was no looking back for Lahiri from there on. He maintained his four-shot lead till the 11th despite two bogeys and another birdie. The three-time winner on the Asian Tour then drove home the advantage by finding the green in two shots on the par-5 12th and 14th holes to earn birdies. He closed the tournament with another 15-feet birdie conversion on the 18th to take home the winner’s cheque worth Rs. 8,08,250.
 
“I played a solid round today. Hit it well and missed just two greens. I also played the par-5s much better as I found the green in two shots on three of the four par-5s. The birdie on the third was very crucial as it helped me wrest the momentum from SSP who had started well. I was four ahead after 11 holes and knew just had to play level-par over the last seven holes to ensure victory. My putting wasn’t up to the mark today. I made 33 putts in a round of three-under. That just goes to show how well I struck it,” said Lahiri, winner of the season-opener.
 
He added, “I feel I won it on the first day itself with a course record score of 64. It’s great to win four on the trot on the PGTI. It was fun playing with SSP today after a gap of six years. He complimented me for the way I’ve been playing.”
    
Anirban, the highest-ranked Indian in the world at No. 105, has now won the last four events he has played on the PGTI. Jyoti Randhawa and Gaganjeet Bhullar currently share the record of winning five events in five consecutive appearances on the PGTI.
 
Rahil Gangjee (71-69-73-67) posted the day’s joint best of 67. He was even-par for the day after 10 holes but then picked up pace with three birdies and an eagle over the next four holes. His tee shot stopped within a foot of the flag to set up a birdie on the 11th. He converted a 12-footer for eagle on the 12th and a 15-feet putt for birdie on the 14th.
 
“I made more putts today. I had a good run on the back-nine where the eagle made all the difference. I’ve played better on the back-nine through the week. It was easier to focus since I wasn’t playing in the leader group today and there was less pressure,” said Gangjee.
 
Abhinav Lohan of Faridabad secured third place at six-under-282 after his final round of 72 that included seven birdies besides three bogeys and two double-bogeys.
 
SSP Chowrasia’s last round of 74 placed him fourth at five-under-283. The Kolkata golfer made four birdies against six bogeys on Saturday.
 
Chandigarh’s Harendra Gupta fired the day’s joint best of 67 to claim tied 10thplace at two-over-290 along with reigning Rolex Rankings champion Rashid Khan of Delhi and Himmat Singh Rai of the DLF Golf & Country Club.
 
Feroz Singh Garewal of Chandigarh won the trophy for the best performance by an amateur. Garewal ended tied 23rd at 10-over-298.
 
Kunaal Bhatia of Gurgaon made a hole-in-one on the 11th during his round of 73. Bhatia secured tied 46th place at 20-over-308.
 
Fifteen-year-old Ahmedabad-based amateur Varun Parikh was placed 54th after finishing with a total of 22-over-310. He returned an 81 in round four.
 
Anirban Lahiri earned 900 points for his win in the first event of the PGTI Super Series. He now leads the points table of the seven-event Super Series. Rahil Gangjee is placed second with 600 points while Abhinav Lohan is in third with 400 points. The player who earns the maximum points at the end of the seven-event series will earn a bonus of Rs. 30 lakh.