Anirban Lahiri goes down fighting

Report by Anand Datla

March 08, 2015: Anirban Lahiri walks around the course acutely aware of his place in the game of golf. The trip to Doral may have been demanding, downright hurtful at times, but the proud young man decided to go down guns blazing if that were to be his destiny. Lahiri played an aggressive final round at the WGC Cadillac Championships in an attempt to leave his own imprint. Unfortunately though it was the Blue Monster that had the last laugh as it relegated Anirban to a 77 for an overall score of 19-over 307.

Lahiri started his day with a bogey six at the first hole, working his way out of a fairway bunker. He drew even immediately, putting his iron to work to land within 4 ft from the pin on the second hole.

The 34th ranked golfer saw his second shot at the par-4 fourth hole dissolve into water, resulting in a penalty. Lahiri ended up conceding two shots as he worked his way to the pin.

Undeterred, Lahiri made birdies on three of the next five holes to improve his card to one under for the day. But adversity was never too far, as has been the case this entire week.

At the par-3 ninth hole, Anirban’s tee shot sailed into the water, leading to another penalty. He took a drop in the tee box, from where he landed in the green side bunker. He needed three shots from there to complete his front nine with a triple bogey, and he was down to two over.

Anirban eschewed some of his aggression on the return stretch, but even then he would cough up three more bogeys – at the 10th, 14th and 18th to complete his PGA Tour debut at 19-over par.

With his driving accuracy under 50% and the count of greens in regulation just over 50%. Anirban was constantly battling for survival on a course that is fiercely protected by liberal doses of sand and water. Nevertheless, the Indian can take heart from having refused to be beaten down by the course, despite near insurmountable odds.