Two 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 for a second start.
The 27-year-old, who has won four Asian Tour titles and leads the Asian Tour 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.
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.”
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.
He is getting back into his rhythm and is readying himself for an early start on Thursday, when he goes out with Koumei Oda of Japan, who was his teammate at EurAsia Cup in March, and Ben Martin of the US, who is making his debut at the Open courtesy his third place finish at Quicken Loans on the PGA Tour.
