Video: How Anirban Lahiri clinched MMO

Feb 8, 2015. India’s Anirban Lahiri claimed the biggest victory of his burgeoning career yet with a gripping one-stroke victory over Bernd Wiesberger of Austria in the US$3 million Maybank Malaysian Open on Sunday.

The 27-year-old Lahiri, who trailed by five strokes heading into the final round, closed with a four-under-par 68 at the Kuala Lumpur Golf and Country Club’s West course to lift the Seagram trophy and champion’s cheque of US$500,000.

His sixth career Asian Tour victory and first co-sanctioned title on the European Tour is likely to propel him into the world’s top-40, putting him in prime position to qualify for the Masters Tournament in April, the year’s first Major, and also the International Team for the Presidents Cup later this year.

Coming off his career best year where he won twice last year and finished second on the Asian Tour’s Order of Merit, the tenacious Lahiri fought gallantly to reel in overnight leader Wiesberger and then holed an audacious 50-foot birdie putt from off the 17th green which ultimately proved decisive.

Wiesberger, with three top-six finishes in his last three starts, started strongly with two opening birdies but a double bogey on five took away his momentum and further bogeys on 12, 15 and 17 meant that he needed to birdie the last hole to force a play-off with Lahiri, who finished on 16-under-par 272.

However, the 29-year-old Austrian, who was seeking a fourth career victory, left his birdie attempt from 25 feet short of the hole.

Lahiri said: “I don’t think it has sunk in just yet but I’m pretty sure when it does, I’ll be pretty happy. This win is very, very special as it’s my first on the European Tour. I think I’ve got a bad habit to make it hard for myself. I’m happy I managed to get it over the line towards as ugly as it was towards the end.”

“I knew Bernd got off to a hot start. I didn’t know how far back I was until the back nine. That was when my caddie pointed out that he had dropped a couple. I knew I was in the hunt and I knew I needed one more birdie to come home.”