Indian golfer Anirban Lahiri enjoyed amemorable debut at The Open Championship with a bogey-free 68 to lie four shotsbehind leader Adam Scott of Australia after the first round.
The 25-year-old credited a hot putter for his superb start at Royal Lytham andSt Annes Thursday, holing several long efforts to keep the bogeys off his cardin the year's third Major. Lahiri, a two-time Asian Tour winner, got off to aflying start with a five-foot birdie and then rattled in a 25-footer on the13th hole.
"It's a dream start for a first Open. Bogey free round with a 68, I'lltake that any day. I was really nervous out there on the first tee. But I hitprobably the best shot of the day to five feet and made the putt," saidLahiri, who ended the day in tied 14th place.
"Every time I hit it into a bad position, my putter helped me out. Itsaved me a lot of shots as I holed at least three or four shots outside of 20feet. That's what you need on a course like this to keep your round together.It's not easy to make a whole bunch of birdies. On the back nine, I hit itgood. I could have made one or two more but I'll take it."
With a late tee time, Lahiri spent his morning watching the early action andlearned a few tricks which he said helped him put together a solid start.
"My caddie told me to watch some of the Open and get a feel of how thingsare reacting. It can help you save some shots if you find some playersrepeating a pattern on a certain hole. It helped me out today," saidLahiri, who won the SAIL-SBI Open earlier this year.
"I saw Tiger hit some inspiring chips. He hit a great chip on the fifthhole and I had a similar shot on the third and I imagined it and hit a greatchip as well."
With his father in the small gallery following his group, Lahiri struggled offthe tee on the front nine and hit only one fairway. He scrambled superbly butknows he must be sharper off the tee in the second round to keep his magicalrun going.