NORTH BERWICK (Scotland), Jul 6: India’s Anirban Lahiri returns to Scotland after a gap of three years as he tees up at the Genesis Scottish Open, which is co-sanctioned with the PGA Tour for the first time.
The event features 14 of the world’s top 15 players, including world No. 1 Scottie Scheffler, the 2022 Masters champion, and the other three defending Major champions Collin Morikawa (2021 Open), Justin Thomas (2022 PGA Championship) and Matthew Fitzpatrick (2022 US Open).
The field also includes Shubhankar Sharma, who will be hoping to end a run of missed cuts — he has missed the last three in a row and six in the last seven starts.
Lahiri played a Tuesday practice round with Sharma and said, “It is good to be back at the Links golf. I am here after a full three years. So, in a manner of speaking things are fleetingly similar.
“The big difference between here and the US, where also we play in the cold sometimes, is mainly in and around the greens.”
“That is the big adjustment. From pure greens and speeds of 13 and 14 (on stimpmeter) in the US, it is Links golf.
“The wind, the direction of the wind and so on. Yet I think the most important part for Links golf is knowing what to avoid and having played here before I think I know it.”
Lahiri wants to do well at the Scottish, not just because it is an event with a great legacy, but also because it is his last chance to get into the 150th Open.
“I would love to be in The Open at St. Andrews. Last time when I was here, I loved it. Except for the last few holes, I played well, and I have great memories from the past Open starts, including a hole-in-one on my debut.”
Lahiri made his debut at the 2012 Open, that was 10 years ago, and had a hole-in-one on the ninth at the Royal Lytham. His Dad, Tushar, still has “that” ball as a keepsake.
On having played little and getting less than satisfactory results, Lahiri added, “I am resetting the system in a way. The birth of my son made me want to spend more time with the family and that came after a series of good results (including second at PLAYERS).
“But I know in the second half I have a long season and many events, so I need a balance between work and family. I have not played badly as the results might suggest but it is just that I have played on and off and I like to have a series of 4-5 weeks at a stretch.
“It is just the quantity of competitive golf that has been less. One week on, one week off and so on.”
Lahiri goes out in the first round with Brandon Stone and Connor Syme, while Sharma plays with Cameron Tringale and Guillermo Pereira.
The two Indian players are in different halves of the draw, with Sharma playing in the morning on Thursday and Lahiri turning out in the afternoon, and it will be the other way around on the second day. (PTI)
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