Indian Open victory was the most emotional: Anirban Lahiri

Anirban Lahiri. Photo : Sudhakara Jain.

To say that golfer Anirban Lahiri has had a dream year would be an understatement. The list of achievements is long, laudable and on certain occasions, record-breaking.

The 28-year-old is on the cusp of winning the 2015 Asian Tour Order of Merit, has taken two titles on the demanding European Tour, and became just the fourth Indian to have competed in all four Majors in a calendar year.

In the PGA Championship, held at Wisconsin (USA) in August this year, Lahiri finished tied-fifth — the best-ever result by an Indian at a Major. A couple of months later, he became the first from the nation to represent the International Team at the President’s Cup.

Yes, it has been a glorious 2015 for the Bengalurean, and more good tidings await. Given his terrific form, Lahiri could well make the cut for the 2016 Rio Olympics — a tremendous honour.

At a function here where he was named the brand ambassador for Hinduja Global Solutions Limited, the World No. 45 spoke about the possibility of winning a medal at the Olympics and more…

Excerpts:

The highlight of 2015: It’s tough to choose. The Malaysian Open (in February) victory was the biggest of my career. It got me 40 world ranking points, which enabled me to play the Majors. But the Indian Open victory (also in February) was the most emotional. As the National open, it has huge meaning. The fifth-place finish at the PGA championship, and playing the President’s Cup were also very special. Even if I had achieved just one of these feats, it would have made for a great year. But overall, I’d choose the Indian Open as the highlight.

2016 Rio Olympics: I’m in a good position to make the cut. It’s very exciting. This is something that a lot of us did not expect will happen (golf will return as an Olympic discipline after over a century), but I’m glad that it has. I’m looking at this as a great opportunity to influence how the nation views golf. The Olympics is the best platform to highlight a sport. Hopefully, either I — or whoever else qualifies — can win a medal. This will raise golf’s profile in India.

Secret to recent successes: My biggest failure, in the past, was that I would get complacent after a win. One good thing I’ve done this year is that I’ve managed to keep my focus despite achieving my targets. Usually, once we achieve a target, we tend to relax and switch off.

Playing on the prestigious PGA Tour next year: I’m happy that have played a few PGA tournaments this year. I’ve gained some knowledge on how the Tour works; the culture, food, etc. This will serve me well next year.