Indians have had a fantastic year on the Asian Tour with wins on foreign soil. Here’s a look at four stellar victories of the year.
Anirban Lahiri wins the CIMB Classic, his first win outside India
It has always been the case of when rather than whether Anirban Lahiri will win his first Asian Tour title abroad. And it couldn’t have come in a more dramatic fashion than at the CIMB Niaga Indonesian Masters in April where he holed a stunning eagle on the 72nd hole to lift his fourth and first Asian Tour title outside India. Lahiri said that his mind was ‘blank’ when he was preparing to make his last putt on 18 but it soon became crystal clear that he was destined for glory. Lahiri won his fourth Asian Tour title and first outside of India with a spectacular eagle putt on the last hole to win the US$750,000 CIMB Niaga Indonesian Masters. And this came just a week before his getting married, making the win even sweeter and well timed. Later in the year Lahiri won the Venetian Macau as well.
Rashid Khan bags two Asian Tour wins
Chasing success is never easy. Having swallowed the bitter pill on numerous occasions, India’s Rashid Khan never gives up. Even when success often deserted him, Khan’s pursuit of excellence was relentless. The talented Indian’s destiny with greatness would eventually come on home soil when he claimed a play-off victory over Bangladeshi Siddikur Rahman on home soil at the SAIL-SBI Open on home soil. And this would be followed up with a fantastic win, amidst a stellar field at Chiangmai Golf Club.
Arjun Atwal shows his comeback mettle with Dubai Open
For four long and painful years, India’s Arjun Atwal was searching for the form that led him to become Asia’s number one in 2003 and the first Indian to win on the PGA TOUR. Beset by injuries and losing his card on the PGA TOUR, Atwal resorted to relying on the goodwill of sponsors to tee up at events. He repaid the faith of everyone who believed in him by winning the inaugural Dubai Open and described the winning feeling as one the is even ‘greater’ that his win on the PGA TOUR.
SSP Chowrasia wins Panasonic Open in Delhi
S.S.P. Chowrasia clinched his third Asian Tour title at the Panasonic Open India after defeating Rahil Gangjee of India and Sri Lanka’s Mithun Perera in a playoff. The popular Indian coolly rolled in a 15-footer birdie in extra time to cap a sensational comeback as he was five shots off the lead at the start of the day at the US$300,000 event sanctioned by the Asian Tour and Professional Golf Tour of India (PGTI).
With his trademark short game in full display at the Delhi Golf Club, Chowrasia returned with the day’s low score of six-under-par 66 highlighted by eight birdies to finish on 12-under-par 276. “I worked very hard for this win because I wanted to boost my confidence. It is three years since I last won and I will take a lot of positives from the win,” said the 36-year-old Chowrasia, who won his first Asian Tour title at the 2008 Indian Masters on the same venue.
