Ahmedabad: 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 and also prevented him from earning a spot at the PGTI’s year-end championship. Madan’s tied 26th finish at the Qualifying School earned him his card for the 2014 season. Kanishk made seven birdies against two bogeys in round one at Ahmedabad.
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 scores of four-under-68 to occupy joint sixth place.
