India’s Asian Tour number one Anirban Lahiri is confident of a good showing in the final two rounds of the British Open after he battled successfully to make the cut yesterday.  The 29-year-old, who marked his debut at the British Open with a hole in one at Royal Lytham in 2012, is one under after two rounds following a one-over-par 72 in rainy and blustery conditions at Royal Troon.
Lahiri, who has made the cut three times in four participations at the Open, is hoping to go better than his previous best finish at the oldest Major of joint 30th at St Andrews in 2015. Indeed he dares to believe he could threaten his best ever placing in one of the four Majors, fifth in last year’s US PGA Championship. “I’ll be hoping to post two scores in the red,” said Lahiri. “That should be pretty gettable for me, if it’s deep enough in the red, then maybe I can give myself a chance on Sunday.”
Lahiri, who learnt golf at the age of eight hitting balls with his father an Army doctor, conceded he had been off his game and failed to adjust to different weather conditions. “I managed to control the damage as I didn’t play too good,” said Lahiri.
“The idea was to get off to a good start but it wasn’t to be. A couple of judgement errors as it was new conditions. It was very different the way we have been playing the front nine all week so I think that kind of didn’t work in my favour. I’m glad I hung in there, although I did feel like I could have made a few more putts. A little disappointed but it could have been worse.”
Lahiri, whose two wins on the European Tour both came last year in the Indian Open and the Malaysian Open, struck only two birdies yesterday with the one at the legendary eighth hole ‘The Postage Stamp’ giving him the most pleasure.
“As hard as that hole played yesterday, it’s going to be one of the holes you might see a few more birdies today, just because of how the winds are today,” said Lahiri, who played in a threesome with Spanish veteran Sergio Garcia and American Keegan Bradley.
“I hit a good shot and finally made a 10-footer. It’s been a grind on the greens for me. I don’t think I putted too badly but just burnt a lot of lips.”
Lahiri said part of the reason for his being able to restrict the damage in the second round was down to becoming more at ease with the particular atmosphere at the Majors.
“This year, I’ve been the least nervous,” he said. “It’s also my fourth Open and it’s nice to get more comfortable starting in weeks like this, knowing what is achievable from what I’ve done from Majors of the past.”