Lahiri earns his European Tour Card

Report by Anand Datla

November 20, 2014: Anirban Lahiri has earned the right to play on the European Tour through 2015. The 27 year old produced an even par 72 in the sixth and final round of the European Tour Qualifying School Final Stage to ensure he pocketed the valuable card. Lahiri began his day with a birdie at the first hole to make a confident start to the day. The top 25 men in the event are given a card to play the European Tour through 2015.

Lahiri was shaky on the front nine – dropping bogeys at the 2nd and 4th holes to slip to one over before making the turn. The Indian took 37 shots to navigate the first nine holes of the Stadium Course at the PGA Catalunya Resort in Girona, Spain.

After dropping another shot at the par-4 13th hole, Anirban was at two over for the day. At this stage the world No.75 was flirting with a narrow miss after playing brilliant golf at the start of the event last weekend.

Fortunately for the Bengaluru man, he reignited his best yet again immediately after that lapse. Lahiri shot birdies at the 14th and 16th holes to complete his event at 9-under 419 and pocket the rights to play in Europe through the coming season.

Lahiri will now be the second Indian after Shiv Kapur to play on the European Tour as a full card member in 2015. Shiv was the only Indian to retain his card for 2015 as he finished 87th in the Race to Dubai this year. The top-110 in the Race to Dubai get an exemption for the following season on the European Tour.

Rikard Karlberg wins a European Tour card too

Asian Tour golfer, Rikard Karlberg also earned a tour card after he shot a second straight 71 to finish ninth in the event. Karlberg made three birdies and two bogeys in card winning effort. The Swede ended the event on 11-under 417 for his six rounds of golf.

Carlos Del Moral would be kicking himself in disbelief long into the night. The Spaniard seemingly had the card sealed, when he started the day at nine under, but succumbed to the pressure of the final round in a spectacular meltdown.

The 548th ranked golfer produced a disastrous sequence of three straight double bogeys from the fourth hole, even as he watched his hopes dissolve in the Mediterranean Sun. He dropped 25 places on the final day to slip out of contention for the card.