By Rahul Banerji
India and LIV Golf star Anirban Lahiri carded a six-under par 66 t take second place in the $1.5 million BNI Indonesian Masters at Jakarta on Sunday.
Lahiri finished four shots behind Thailand’s Sarit Suwannarut, the 24-year-old shooting a 68 at Royale Jakarta Golf Club for his maiden Asian Tour title.
Lahiri, title winner at the Indonesian Masters in 2014, fired the day’s joint best of 66 along with Gaganjeet Bhullar and Travis Smyth of Australia to round off the Asian Tour’s 2022 season.
Speaking to the Asian Tour website later, Lahiri said, “It was a really good week. I think I finally got into some rhythm you know, just coming off not playing much golf.
“I think I was surprised on Thursday that I played the way I did.
“And then the next two rounds were more like what I was expecting, but I think as I played more and more I started getting into a good rhythm.
Bhullar, a 10-time winner on the Asian Tour climbed all the way into fifth place with a 13-under total while Lahiri closed on 16-under 272.
Veer Ahlawat shot a 73 to total 10-under and take a share of tenth place, making this a good tournament overall for India, while Karandeep Kochhar finished in a tie for 20th.
Further behind. Chikkarangappa S. and Honey Baisoya were T28, Udayan Mane shared 38th place, Ajeetesh Sandhu was tied for 48th and Rashid Khan 64th.
By finishing inside the top 60 on the Order of Merit, Bhullar (14th), Rashid Khan (17th), besides Ajeetesh Sandhu, Viraj Madappa, Ahlawat, and Karandeep Kochhar all retained their AsianTour cards while S.S.P. Chawrasia was desperately unlucky to finish 61st.
Chinese-Taipei’s Chan Shih-chang and Northern Ireland’s Graeme McDowell had 69s to tie for third, five shots behind Sarit (66-67-67-68) and one behind Lahiri (66-70-70-66).
Weather intervened yet again on Sunday, this time with the final groups left to play the closing holes. By this time though, Sarit was well on his way, up by five shots from a group of three giving chase.
Final flourish
McDowell (70-67-67-69) and Chan (69-68-67-69) were done and Lahiri had his 72 and final hole of the tournament to play which he birdied to seal sole second place.
American Sihwan Kim wrapped up the Asian Tour Order of Merit after finishing in a tie for 28th, while Scott Vincent from Zimbabwe secured the International Series OOM, by finishing in equal 10th position.
The weather, which had caused numerous delays since Thursday, had a final say when lightning stopped play at 1.09 pm with Sarit having two holes left to play.
Play resumed at 2.30 pm with the rising Thai star able to par his way home, adds asiantour.com.
“I think I almost cried coming down the 18th,” said Sarit.
“Just can’t put into words how I feel. I am just happy. Didn’t feel the pressure that much, I was just enjoying my game., the whole week.
“I worked with my coach last week and we discovered something with the set up. I wasn’t hitting it good for the Pro Am and the first round.
“We looked at the video and decided to squat more and get my chin up a little bit, just small things that made a really big impact.”
Tough times
He added: “It’s been a really tough year. I had Covid at the start of the year, later I couldn’t get a visa for Korea, and I was battling to keep my card at one point. I am so happy.”
While Lahiri was not able to win this event for a second time he was more than happy with his week’s work.
“Just a few kinks in my game, I worked on my putting yesterday after the delay. I was really happy with the way I started swinging it, much better, more like what I like to see from my game.”
England’s Lee Westwood, a three-time champion here, closed with a 71 to finish in outright ninth place.
Also read: Ahlawat keeps himself in Indonesian Masters title race, Lahiri slips
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