Anirban Lahiri faces an uphill task

Edited by Anand Datla

Kuala Lumpur, December 8: There are just two events left to go and time is running out on Anirban Lahiri. The Indian golfer has been looking at the dangling carrot for much of this season, but it might slowly be slipping out of his grasp now. With the finish line in sight, American David Lipsky is in pole position to lift the 2014 Asian Tour’s Order of Merit crown. Rashid Khan, promising as ever is in ninth place and SSP Chowrasia, in fine form is lying in eleventh.

The 26-year-old Lipsky, who has led the Merit race since winning the Omega European Masters in Switzerland in September, extended his lead in the rankings to US$133,518 after finishing sixth in the Bank BRI Indonesia Open on Sunday. His season’s earnings stand at US$707,585.

Second-placed Anirban Lahiri of India was kicking himself after a costly triple bogey on the 72nd hole in Jakarta dropped him from sixth to equal 15th position as his 2014 tally increased to US$574,067, thanks largely to victories at the CIMB Niaga Indonesian Masters and Venetian Macau Open this season.

Thailand’s Prom Meesawat, who is third on the Merit list, is the only other player who has a mathematical chance of winning the Order of Merit crown. He currently trails Lipksy by US$181,414 with this week’s Thailand Golf Championship and next week’s inaugural Dubai Open to play.

Prom, who was victorious at the Yeangder Tournament Players Championship in Taipei, withdrew from the opening round in Indonesia to preserve a sore back but will tee up at Amata Spring Country Club on Thursday along with Lipsky and Lahiri.

The Thailand Golf Championship and Dubai Open will offer US$180,000 and US$90,000 respectively to the champions, thus eliminating the fourth-ranked player, Cameron Smith of Australia, and those below him from the exciting Order of Merit race.

Lipsky was delighted to move a step closer to the Merit crown, which will come with exemptions into the British Open, World Golf Championships-Cadillac Championship and invitations to some high profile tournaments next year.

“Looks like I’ve increased my lead and I’m feeling pretty good about that. The goal was to play solid here (in Jakarta). Step one done and now I’ll move on to the Thailand Golf Championship and see what I can do there,” said Lipksy, who won the Asian Tour’s Qualifying School in 2012.

He was pleased with the way he struck the ball in Indonesia. “It was pretty solid. I started off slowly and it was rocky in the first round. My ball striking was much better as the week progressed and I played well on the last few days,” he said.

Lahiri remained optimistic that he can reel Lipsky in with two events to go. He finished tied fourth and equal 15th in the Thailand Golf Championship in the last two editions and also qualified for the British Open at Amata Spring Country Club, this week’s venue, two years ago.

“I’ve got a lot to play for. David has a good lead and I need two solid results in the last two events. I think I’m playing well enough but I’ve got to put it together over four rounds. I haven’t done that in these last two weeks. I had a poor last round last week (in King’s Cup) and poor first round this week,” said the 27-year-old Indian, who finished tied second in the previous week’s King’s Cup in Thailand.

At the opposite end, players will be fighting to finish in the top-60 to earn full playing rights for 2015. Amongst those who are around the bubble include South Africa’s Bryce Easton (58th), Chinnarat Phadungsil of Thailand (59th), Rattanon Wannasrichan of Thailand (60th), Switzerland’s Martin Rominger (61st), India’s Chiargh Kumar (63rd), Indonesia’s George Gandranata (65th) and Singaporean Quincy Quek (68th).

Asian Tour’s Order of Merit – Top-12

1. David LIPSKY (USA) 707,585

2. Anirban LAHIRI (IND) 574,067

3. Prom MEESAWAT (THA) 526,171

4. Cameron SMITH (AUS) 427,476

5. Scott HEND (AUS) 387,820

6. Angelo QUE (PHI) 381,655

7. Thaworn WIRATCHANT (THA) 268,882

8. Antonio LASCUNA (PHI) 253,163

9. Rashid KHAN (IND) 243,249

10. Kiradech APHIBARNRAT (THA) 237,685

11. S.S.P. CHOWRASIA (IND) 231,435

12. Mardan MAMAT (SIN) 215,342