The cynosure at Eagleton

The cynosure at Eagleton

Bangalore resident Anirban Lahiri is all set to claim his first major title at the Eagleton Golf Course, a course he can read like the back of his hand.

Anirban produced a splendid display to win the title at Pune only last week. Just before that, Anirban lost narrowly at Malaysia.  As such his form should see him achieve his ambition of winning a major title, the ongoing PGTI-Eagleburg Open, on his home course.

Anirban has three Asian Tour titles. "Judging the wind and reading the greens well will hold the key at Eagleton this week. I’ve played and practiced at Eagleton for many years but am yet to win a professional event here," said Anirban.

"It’s been a gradual progression for me. I finished tied 10th at the Queen’s Cup three weeks back, then ended runner-up at the Worldwide Holdings Selangor Masters the following week before winning at Oxford last week," he added. He feels that the stretch from the third to the fifth hole is going to test a lot of players. "The fourth hole in particular is quite challenging. One needs to be very accurate with the tee shot on this par-5 hole," noted Lahiri.

If he says that, sure Anirban would be able to adopt his game, rise above and overcome the challenge. Anirban has won nine events on the Professional Golf Tour of India. In 2009, he bagged the Haryana Open and BILT Open. A year later he won the PGTI Players Championship at the Aamby Valley Golf Course, the PGTI Players Championship at Oxford Golf & Country Club and the BILT Open.

In 2011, Anirban bagged the Aircel PGTI Players Championship at Tollygunge in Kolkata, the Aircel PGTI Players Championship in Panchkula and the Panasonic Open. In 2012, he won the SAIL-SBI Open. He won the Order of Merit in 2009. Anirban qualified for his first major, the 2012 Open Championship at the Royal Lytham & St Annes Golf Club in Lancashire. He made the cut at 68-72 and then had a hole-in-one at the par-3 9th hole in the third round.

The 25-year-old turned professional in 2007 and has been excelling with his putting in the company of some of the biggest names in Asia. It would come as no surprise if Anirban goes on to lift the title at Eagleton.

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