INDIAN'S FIRST WIN OUTSIDE HIS HOME COUNTRY

LAHIRI WINS INDONESIAN MASTERS

PRESS RELEASE

Jakarta: India’s Anirban Lahiri won his fourth Asian Tour title and first outside India with a spectacular eagle putt on the last hole to win the US$750,000 CIMB Niaga Indonesian Masters on Sunday.

The 26-year-old Indian, who is getting married next month, survived a gamut of emotions on the final day before breaking away from the chasing pack to seal victory with a four-under-par 68 at the Royale Jakarta Golf Club.

South Korea’s Baek Seuk-hyun enjoyed a stroke of fortune despite carrying an elbow injury when he finished second alongside Australian rookie Cameron Smith after signing off with a 65.

Reigning Asian Tour Order of Merit winner Kiradech Aphibarnrat of Thailand showed he is inching his way back into the winner’s circle again with a fourth place finish at the CIMB Niaga Indonesian Masters which celebrated yet another successful conclusion to the fourth edition of the prestigious event in Indonesia.

Starting the day trailing by a single shot behind Smith, Lahiri went out in front quickly by firing three successive birdies starting from the second hole.

He stumbled with a bogey-five on the fifth hole but recovered with another birdie on 12.

However a double-bogey six on 13 after a lengthy three-hour rain delay saw the Indian ride out a tense finish as a host of marquee players from the Asian Tour were wrestling for the lead then.

“I had an awkward lie on 13. During the rain delay I was just thinking that I have to get up and down there. I got a bad break there but I know Lin Wen-tang dropped a shot as well. Unfortunately I got a double bogey there but I am glad I came back strong,” said Lahiri.

With Baek holding the clubhouse lead at 16-under, Lahiri knew he had to produce a superlative effort on 18 to get the outright win.

“My mind was blank when I prepared for the last putt on 18. All I told myself was I had to get it into the hole. When I was walking up to the greens, I was actually thinking if I need to prepare for a playoff tomorrow morning,” said Lahiri.

Lahiri did not disappoint and screamed in delight when he watched his 20-ft eagle putt sink into the hole for a winning total of 17-under-par 271.

  LEADING FINAL TOTALS
   par 288 (4x72) Yardage: 7,340

271 Anirban LAHIRI (IND) 70-69-64-68.

272 BAEK Seuk-hyun (SKOR) 71-68-68-65, Cameron SMITH (AUS) 68-67-67-70.

273 Kiradech APHIBARNRAT (THA) 71-69-65-68.

274 Thongchai JAIDEE (THA) 71-72-67-64, Jazz JANEWATTANANOND (THA) 68-70-69-67, LIN Wen-tang (TPE) 70-64-72-68, S.S.P CHOWRASIA (IND) 71-66-69-68.

275 Rashid KHAN (IND) 70-70-64-71.

276 Chapchai NIRAT (THA) 68-68-72-68, Bernd WIESBERGER (AUT) 68-71-69-68, Gunn CHAROENKUL (THA) 70-69-67-70.

277 Dimitrios PAPADATOS (AUS) 73-72-66-66, Chan KIM (USA) 69-69-70-69, Jyoti RANDHAWA (IND) 72-68-67-70.

 

Selected scores

280 Danny CHIA (MAS) 69-73-68-70, LAM Chih Bing (SIN) 72-68-69-71.

281 Nicholas FUNG (MAS) 67-69-74-71.