After the birdie-putt settled in the cup, Anirban Lahiri erupted in joy with a gesture that displayed what it meant for him to defend the title in the $300,000 SAIL-SBI Open golf championship in a tense play-off with local favourite Rashid Khan.
It was, what is called, a nail-biting finish. In usual play on the final day, Lahiri snatched the lead from overnight leader Bangladesh golfer Mohammad Siddikur Rahman by end of the sixth hole and retained on to it until Rashid, playing in the group ahead, signed off with a birdie to be the clubhouse leader for once with a six-under 66.
After great pressure to locate a birdie on the 18th hole to ensure a play-off, Lahiri held his nerve and eventually putted from seven feet for a 68 to tie with Rashid at 15-under 273.
Later, the players got back to the tee-box of the par-5 18th, the first play-off hole. Post two shots, Rashid chipped to about 15 feet from the cup. With subtle heat off him, Lahiri chipped to within four feet of the flag.
Rashid missed the birdie-putt and Lahiri sank his — his fifth birdie on the 18th this week.
“It’s not sunk in. This was the only time that I went into the 18th hole trailing as Rashid finished ahead of me and made birdie. The last couple of times I played that hole, I was either ahead or tied for the lead,” Lahiri said.
“I’m still in disbelief that I made the putt in regulation and got into the playoff. After that, in the next 15 minutes, I didn’t know what happened.
“Unfortunately for Rashid, it didn’t work out. I feel bad for him as he doesn’t have a card on the Asian Tour. He’s got a bright future ahead of him.”
Rashid said: “In the play-off, I just misread the third shot. I wasn’t too sure of the line and hit it too far right.”
“I was expecting Anirban to make a birdie (on the final hole) in regulation for the play-off. I knew it was going to be a play-off. I was prepared for it.”
In fact, this was Lahiri’s third Asian Tour title, in successive years, and each of them has come at the Delhi Golf Club following play-offs. In the 2011 Panasonic Open, Lahiri won a three-way play-off consisting Manav Jaini and Singapore’s Mardan Mamat.
In 2012, during this championship, Lahiri defeated Thailand’s Prom Meesawat on the first play-off hole.
Lahiri also emerged as the lone second Indian to defend an Asian Tour title. Jyoti Randhawa had successfully defended the Hero Honda Masters in 1999 and the Indian Open in 2007.
Lahiri’s latest triumph was worth $54,000. Siddikur, who birdied the eventual hole for a 73, came third and garnered $18,900. At one stage, four Indians appeared like making the top-five bracket.
Shiv Kapur hung on to finish fourth and got a net of $15,000 but rookie Khalin Joshi needed par on the final hole to finish tied fourth, but triple-bogeyed for a 76 and slipped to tied 11th.
