Lahiri leads Venetian Macau Open

October 23, 2014. India’s Anirban Lahiri leads the leaderboard at the Venetian Macau with a ten under par and an impressive bogie free round. 18 holes that made it to 61 with a spectacular eagle on the 18th to clinch leadership at a time the Indian was going side by side with recent winner from Hong Kong Open Scott Hend.

Lahiri, currently second on the Asian Tour’s Order of Merit, brilliantly sank a 15-foot eagle putt on the 18th hole at the Macau Golf and Country Club to post his career low round and surpass last year’s record-equaling 62 in the final round which saw him finish runner-up.

Anirban Lahiri’s two week break at home seems to have done wonders for the player who concentrated on some swing techniques in Bangalore with his coach. In an exclusive chat with golfingindian.com, Lahiri eluded to the fact that his break was much needed to “revive and focus on the mind and rework some swing techniques.”

WATCH Full Interview with Anirban Lahiri

“I have been playing well. I am happy and I can continue to keep getting my self into contention, I am good. I have another busy three months coming up. This time has allowed me to give my body a little bit of a rest. Wanted to be physically, mentally and technically ready,” he said in his recent chat.

With India celebrating Diwali, which is known as the Festival of Lights, back home, Lahiri, who is a four-time Asian Tour winner, was delighted to deliver the cheers to his fans back home as he took full advantage of near benign conditions at the par-71 Macau course.

“It’s a great Diwali and happy Diwali to everyone back home. It’s nice to have some fireworks on the course,” smiled Lahiri, who needed only 22 putts for his round.

“It’s fantastic. I really played solid all day and it was nice to get such fantastic weather and putt well. I think I did really well inside of 15 feet … this is the best I’ve putted for a while. My good friend S. Chikka who is playing this week pointed something out and he knows my game really well.

“Sometimes my putting stroke doesn’t flow as well as it needs to and he spotted a little thing that really helped me. I felt really comfortable on the greens. I’m really happy.”

With Hend, who was in the group in front, setting the clubhouse target after a brilliant inward 29, Lahiri, who had eight birdies on the card, including four in a row from the 12th hole, finished his round in style when he found the par five 18th green with two mighty blows before rolling in his eagle.

“I knew he (Hend) birdied 17 and 18 and when I got to 18, I saw he was on nine-under. I told my caddie that last year, we got it to nine-under and let’s see if I can hole this 15-footer. It would be really nice to have the course record (Note: Today’s 61 is an unofficial record as the preferred lie rule was in effect).”

Big-hitting Hend, who won the Hong Kong Open last week for his sixth Asian Tour title, extended his run of form where his back nine was brilliant. The free-swinging Aussie nailed five birdies and one eagle to give himself a chance of joining Zhang Lian-wei as the only men to win the Venetian Macau Open twice.