Lahiri pulls away
CIMB CLASSIC: Indian surges to lead by four at TPC
catch, but I know there’s a lot of other guys and anybody can go low.
“I just need to try to work off this positive finish that I had and try to keep those negative thoughts and things out on the course from happening, and just try to go have some fun.”
ANIRBAN Lahiri is as close as he has ever been to a first US PGA Tour title after surging four strokes clear yesterday at the TPC Kuala Lumpur heading into the final round of the CIMB Classic.
India’s Lahiri overcame the demons which afflicted him in the first two rounds, and coupled with a near-collapse by defending champion Justin Thomas, is just one round away from the biggest achievement of his career.
Having won his first European Tour title on the same TPC Kuala Lumpur course at the Malaysian Open last year, Lahiri is a man high on confidence as he continues to excel on Malaysian soil.
“I’ve had quite a love affair with Malaysia, whether it’s the Malaysian Open or whether it’s the two EurAsia Cups where we’ve had tremendous support and there’s a lot of Indians in KL and Malaysia,” said Lahiri, who made his first appearance here in 2004.
“So it definitely feels like home. I’ve been coming here ever since I was a junior. I’d like to think that I’m going to have some home crowd support tomorrow.
“It definitely helps when you’ve played a golf course a few times, you get a lot more comfortable. I’ve won here. So good memories out on the golf course.”
Playing in just his second season on the PGA Tour, Lahiri responded to carding a double-bogey on the parfour 12th hole with four birdies on the last five holes, including the 18th where he had posted a bogey and double bogey on Thursday and Friday.
“Obviously it (the 18th) was on my mind today. It was on my mind since I finished my round yesterday actually,” said Lahiri, who sank nine birdies in all yesterday. “I’m glad that I stayed positive and focused right through.
“Luckily today it was a little bit cooler. That definitely helps when you’re not trying to fight the heat and exhaustion.
“I’m trying my best. I’m doing whatever I can to make sure that I’m still in the same space mentally and physically on the first hole that I am right now after I finish 18.”
Lahiri is seeking to follow in the footsteps of his compatriot Arjun Atwal, who won the Malaysian Open twice before going on to claim his first PGA Tour title at the 2010 Wyndham Championship.
“You have to stay positive,” said
Pic by Osman Adnan Lahiri, looking ahead to the final round. “I just need to focus on what I need to do.
“I feel in a good place mentally and physically and with my game, so that’s exactly where you want to be going into tomorrow. So I’m not going to think much about where I am but just think about what I need to do.”
American Thomas salvaged a 71 after a roller-coaster round to lie four shots behind on 201, level with Scotland’s Russell Knox (67).
Knox, who had a 63 on Friday, remains in contention for his third PGA Tour title.
“This is a course where you’ve got to play great on the last day to win because there’s going to be people that do it,” said Knox. “So I need to be super aggressive tomorrow and play a little bit more free than I did today.”
First round co-leader Derek Fathauer carded a 68 to move into a tie for fourth on 202 with fellow American James Hahn (69) and Japan’s Hideyuki Matsuyama, who briefly held a share of the lead after four birdies in his opening five holes.
Americans Scott Piercy and Keegan Bradley, the 2011 US PGA Championship winner, followed in seventh and eighth on 203 and 204 respectively.