Lahiri makes solid Valspar recovery to set up Indian Open run

By Rahul Banerji

Anirban Lahiri rode on four birdies in five holes to finish strongly at the $6.7 million Valspar Championship in Florida on Sunday, putting him in a good space ahead of the 55^th Hero Indian Open that gets under way later this week at the DLF Golf and Country Clun in Gurgaon.

Up in front, Englishman Paul Casey became the first in the 19 years of the Valspar to retain the winner’s trophy, battling the Innisbrook Resort’s Copperhead Course to bring in a 1-over card on the final day that was still good enough for the 41-year-old to beat the field.

Casey had a tournament aggregate of 8-under par 276, an indication of how much of a struggle the Palm Harbour course had thrown up for a top-class field and on which world no. 1 Dustin Johnson faded away on the final day despite starting just one back of Casey.

Confident mood

“I had a lot of confidence,” Casey said afterwards. “My victory here last year put me back into a frame of mind, a comfort that I felt many years ago during my career, back in, pick a year, when I was winning consistently in Europe.

“People forget, I’m not a prolific winner but I’ve won 17 times around the world. It’s not bad. I would like it to be more, obviously. I know how to win, plain and simple. I think I had forgotten, and last year’s victory kind of maybe kind of broke the seal, for lack of a better term.

“Today was a very different attitude to maybe I had had the last three, four years, and an attitude that I had, and a comfort and a relaxed approach, confidence in my game. I still felt Dustin was the favourite. But it didn’t mean I didn’t think I could beat him.”

Powerful finish

Lahiri was way off the pace after a third day 75 but shut that round out firmly. He was out in level par for his first nine before ramping up his game to reel off four birdies in five holes, even though they bracketed one dropped shot.

It carried him 27 places up the leader-board for a tied 30th place finish with an even par 284 four-day total, not bad going on a day the best in the business were struggling to save shots all the way through. It was also the best card alongside Bubba Watson, Jon Rahm, and two others.

With the cream of Indian golf expected to turn out for the national Open in three days time, a strong local challenge is expected with Chikkarangappa S., Shubhankar Sharma and two-time winner S.S.P Chawrasia all outing in competent performances on the final day of the Maybank Championship in Kuala Lumpur as well on Sunday.

Hanging on

Sunday though, belonged to Casey who hung on to beat off challenges from Johnson, who faded early, 2010 Masters winner Louis Oosthuizen of South Africa and the USA’s Jason Kokrak, winless in 197 PGA Tour starts. The latter two were a shot behind the Englishman with Watson finishing in a tie for fifth place alongside rising Korean star Sungjae Im on 6-under 278s.

Incidentally, Sunday’s 74 was Johnson’s first card in the 70s since the opening round of the Genesis Open in February, an amazing stat in itself. 

Also read: Lahiri goes 1-under in steady Valspar Championship start