New Delhi: Anirban Lahiri savoured unprecedented success, dominating the headlines with his record-breaking achievements, which included two European tour titles and a fifth-place finish at a Major, in what proved to be a transformational year for Indian golf.
In a watershed campaign which saw him juggle between Asia, US and Europe, Lahiri emerged as the new poster boy of Indian golf, clinching the Indian Open and Maybank Malaysian Open, earning a fifth-place finish at the PGA Championship, qualifying for the prestigious President’s Cup, claiming the Asian Tour Order of Merit - and achieving a career-best ranking of World No. 34.
While Lahiri continued to scale new heights in world golf, Delhi’s Chirag Kumar also revived his career after going through a tough injury-phase with a title win at the Panasonic Open at Delhi Golf Club, even as other seasoned golfers, including Jeev Milkha Singh and Arjun Atwal, continued to struggle with their form.
Lahiri, who had earned a European Tour card last year, continued his meteoric rise and claimed his first official win on the European Tour at the Maybank Malaysian Open with a one-stroke victory over Bernd Wiesberger. He had shot 10-under 62 during the third round and came from four shots behind to prevail by one stroke.
He clinched his second European Tour title at home when he won the Hero Indian Open, coming from seven strokes behind in the final round to force a play-off with SSP Chawrasia, which he won with a birdie on the first extra hole.
His prowess on the golf field reflected in his ranking and, Lahiri broke into the top 50, achieving a career-high position of 34 in the world.
He then qualified for the 2015 US Masters, thus becoming only the third Indian after Jeev and Atwal to do so. He finished tied 49th in his first appearance at the Augusta National Golf Club in April.
Lahiri, along with Shiv Kapur, then played at the US Open, the second Major, in June but missed the cut at Chambers Bay. He then arrived in Scotland for his third Major of the season and ended tied 31st in the 144th Open Championship.
In August, Lahiri set a new record for the highest finish by an Indian golfer in a major, when he earned a tie for fifth place at the PGA Championship at Whistling Straits. He became the first Indian to shoot sub-par scores in all four rounds in a Major.
He also won the PGA of America’s pre-tournament long-drive contest, hitting a 327-yard drive that won him a traditional gold money clip and a Dh25,000 charitable donation in his name.
