By Rahul Banerji
Nine years after he last won here, a “desperate” Anirban Lahiri is back at the Hero Indian Open and hungry to add more silverware to his trophy cabinet.
In the years since his 2015 Hero Indian Open title, Lahiri has added a bagful of runner-up finishes, including four on the LIV Golf schedule alone and admits he is hungry for success.
Speaking to the media at the DLF Golf and Country Club on Tuesday, Lahiri said he was happy to be back at the national open for the first time since 2019 and keen to prove to himself that he still has what it takes to win.
“You know the weight of, I don’t know how many dozens of seconds, I’ve had, lies heaviest on my shoulders. So, I need to get that off my back. I want to win, I am desperate to win,” said Lahiri.
“The driver is I have to prove to myself that I can win again. It’s been a while and nobody feels that more than I do. So even though I’ve played 15, 16, years, I’m still as desperate to win this week as I was 10, 15 years ago.
“Because I have to prove it to myself. I don’t have to prove it to anybody else”, said Lahiri ahead of the 57th staging of the $2.25 million Hero Indian Open.
The 2024 edition will have almost a third of the 144-strong field who are past winners on the DP World Tour. The winner will receive $382,500, the runner-up $247,500 and the third-place finisher pocketing $141,750.
Homecoming
Lahiri’s last global win came at this very event back in 2015 and he was second the following year. Since then, his runner-up placings include the 2022 Players Championship and four times at LIV Golf.
Calling the Hero Indian Open his fifth Major, Lahiri added, “It’s really wonderful to be back, it’s a homecoming of every sort.
“It’s the National Open, I’ve been joking with some of my friends that it’s the fifth major and I’m finding it harder and harder to get into the majors, so I’m glad that I’m playing this week.”
The two-time Olympian called the Summer Games “unfinished business”. “I have had two shots at it. I have a whole list of excuses for why I didn’t play well, like every professional athlete.”
“You want to have as many starts at majors as possible to contend and to win. The Olympics are fewer and much further in between.
“I don’t know where my goal for golf will be four years from now. So, I need to focus on, as I said, potentially eight rounds or 12 rounds that I have between now and Paris that will get me there. I want to just focus on the Olympics.”
Outside chance
Lahiri is currently 401st in the world golf rankings and the third in line among Indians probables with Shubhankar Sharma at 188th, and Gaganjeet Bhullar at 240th are ahead of him.
India has a maximum of two entries into the Olympics the field for which is restricted to 60 players for the men’s and women’s competitions. The International Golf Federation utilises the official world golf rankings to determine eligibility.
On his return to the DLF course, Lahiri added, “It’s really wonderful to be coming back, it’s a homecoming of every sort.
“I was just telling my caddie who’s come here for the first time from the US that the first time I played here was in 1999 as a 12-year-old. It goes back a long way.
“I come back with less hair and greyer each time. So, time has passed, but it’s been kind to me. It’s been a fantastic ride and I’m just glad to be back and I’m looking forward to performing well here. It’s an important week for me to play well.”
Also in the field is Ryder Cupper Nicolas Colsaerts of Belgium, a star of the 2012 Miracle at Medinah as a debutant who returns to India for the first time since 2017.
“I’m really excited to be here. It’s always great to come and play and support one of the Hero events. Obviously, Dr. Pawan Munjal has been a great supporter of the sport and the European Tour.
“I think out of respect, and also for the person and what he’s been able to do for the last couple of years, it’s the least we can do. And the golf course is quite a challenging one.
“It’s nice to visit a place where I’ve not had the chance to come a lot. It’s definitely different and at my age, I find it quite fulfilling to come to a place that is a little bit different than usual.”
Winning start
England’s Alex Fitzpatrick made a winning start to his Hero Indian Open campaign with victory at the $10,000 Hero Shot competition on Tuesday.
The contest also included Anirban Lahiri, Shiv Kapur, Rasmus Højgaard, Yannik Paul, Rafa Cabrera Bello, Nicolas Colsaerts, Guido Migliozzi and Edoardo Molinari with Dr. Pawan Munjal, executive chairman of Hero MotoCorp, playing as an honorary entry in the first round.
The players were given 60 seconds to hit nine balls each at a target created on the 18th green of the DLF Golf and Country Club.
The shootout first eliminated Paul, Colsaerts, Lahiri and Kapur in the 100-yard contest. In the next stage, the semi-finals, Højgaard and Migliozzi were knocked out in the 110-yard contest, despite Højgaard having recorded a whopping 235 points in the first round.
In the final played at the 18th green target from a distance of 120 yards, Fitzpatrick outscored Molinari 100 points to 70.
Also read: Lahiri speaks on his Olympic hopes, life with LIV and more
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