Lahiri is now Asia’s best
NEW ASIA NO. 1 BECOMES FOURTH INDIAN TO GET ASIAN TOUR HONOUR
Becomes only the fourth Indian to win the Asian Tour of Merit and finish the year as No. 1 player of the continent
Anirban Lahiri capped a brilliant year when he became the fourth Indian to win the Asian Tour Order of Merit title yesterday. He was declared the new Asia No. 1 for 2015 with an unassailable lead of over $600,000 (Dh2.2 million) in the Money List with just one event remaining in the season.
Lahiri has followed in the footsteps of Jyoti Randhawa (2002), Arjun Atwal (2003) and Jeev Milkha Singh (2006 & 2008), the three Indians to have previously lifted the Asian Tour Order of Merit crown.
The 28-year-old Anirban amassed record earnings of $1,139,084 during the 2015 Asian Tour season to set the stage for his ascendancy to the status of Asia No. 1 for the first time. He thus became only the third player in Asian Tour history to surpass the $1 million earnings barrier in a single season, achieved thus far by countryman Jeev and Kiradech Aphibarnrat of Thailand.
“It’s something that I’ve always wanted to win,” said Lahiri, who finished third and second on the Merit list in 2013 and 2014, respectively.
Lahiri said he was honoured to join Asian golf legends such as Thongchai Jaidee and Thaworn Wiratchant of Thailand and countrymen Jeev Milkha Singh, Arjun Atwal and Jyoti Randhawa as Asia’s number one golfer.
Very happy
“I feel really happy and it makes me really proud to be in the same league of players like Thongchai, Jeev, Arjun, Thaworn and Jyoti as they are all legends of the game and have won the Order of Merit. It’s nice to be in the same bracket and have something in common. It’s something that is really special.”
The European Tour rookie notched up two wins within a span of three weeks at the European Tour & Asian Tour cosanctioned Maybank Malaysian Open and Indian Open to make his way up to a career-high 33 in the world rankings.
“Winning in Malaysia and then the Hero Indian Open will always be my cherished moments. To do it in a year which I’ve had is fantastic. Those wins got me into the Masters and playing The Open at St Andrews for the first time, it’s been a year filled with highlights for sure,” said Anirban, who had a tied 30th finish at the British Open.
The Indian star went on to bag five more top-10 finishes around the globe which included a sensational tied fifth place at the PGA Championship which happened to be the best result by an Indian at the Majors. He set another record by becoming only the second Indian after Jeev Milkha Singh to play all four Majors in the same year.
“Coming in joint fifth at the PGA Championship, it’s been fantastic. There was so much that I took away from the week. The confidence and self-belief that I gained and earning the respect of the best players in the world ... that’s not easily done,” added Lahiri, who also finished an impressive 20th in the European Tour Race to Dubai.
Lahiri, who is now looking forward to making an impact in the United States next season, attributes his growth to the years spent on the Asian Tour where he got his first exposure to international competition at the professional level.
“The Asian Tour has been instrumental. It has a rewarding structure. If you can keep your card and break into the top-30, you can play in the best events around Asia,” said Lahiri, who is a seven-time Asian Tour winner.
I feel really happy and it makes me really proud to be in the same league of players like Thongchai, Jeev, Arjun, Thaworn and Jyoti as they are all legends of the game.”
Anirban Lahiri Indian golfer