In line?
He's a reporter's delight, always ready to talk, and always with something smart to talk about. But among all those tales from his early career, or his first year travelling around the continent as a living-out-of-the-suitcase professional, there is one that he'll surely never tire of telling.
A little over two years after he turned pro, having left behind his worth-remembering amateur career, and after several close brushes, Anirban Lahiri has finally won his first professional title -- at the Haryana Open in Panchkula.
He shot a 69 in the final round, keeping his head while the overnight leaderboard's main names lost theirs. There was back nine bogey in his round too, but the Bangalore boy held on to finish ahead of C Muniyappa. Muniyappa shot a 66, coming up from some shadowy place on the scoresheet to be just one behind his friend.
Lahiri had jumped up to the second place at the week before's DLF Masters, had flattered, and then come up a little short at the Bilt Open last year, blasted a course record ten-under 62 at the SAIL Open, put together four good rounds for a best-ever fourth place at the Black Mountain Masters, and managed another top-ten on the Asian Tour (Queen's Cup). Now he has a win on his CV, one entry that will always be marked in bold.
It was relief, more than even joy, as Lahiri said later. He had been used to winning finishing his amateur career, and people around him had been used to seeing him win.
Next, there might be comparisons with Gaganjeet Bhullar, who had to wait a long time for his first win too, and who took off rapidly from there, as has been well documented now. "A lot of people have been talking to me about Gaganjeet and how he changed after his first title," Anirban told us. "It is definitely a big sort of block off your mind once you have won, so I guess it matters. I will not be happy till I have made this translate into good performances on the Asian Tour."
He's not badly placed on the Order of Merit, 52nd at the moment, but the season's Q-School graduate will have to make sure he finishes well to make sure of his next year's card. He gets his chance to start right away, being off to Chinese Taipei this week for the Mercuries Taiwan Masters. It'll be fun to see now how this story unfolds.
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