Lahiri gets invite to play in the PGA Championship

The last couple of Sundays have belonged to Anirban Lahiri, and the trend continued. Though he finished tied 19th in LIV Golf Singapore following a bogey-free four-under par 67 in the final round, it was a fruitful day.

On Saturday, the highest-ranked Indian got the mail he was anxiously waiting for. It came from the PGA of America, his invite to the 105th PGA Championship, the second Major of the year that will be played from May 18-21 at Oak Hill Country Club in Rochester, NY.

As a celebration, Lahiri played a bogey-free round, making it special for his team with a crucial birdie putt on his last hole that edged his Crushers team to third place against odds. Paul Casey and Charles Howell III set up that charge for Crushers – both shooting brilliant eight-under par 63s. Lahiri’s birdie edged them ahead of Torque by a shot at 32-under par.

The tournament was won by American Talor Gooch, who defeated Spain’s Sergio Garcia in the first playoff hole after both shot 67s in regulation play and tied at the top at 17-under par.

“I am glad how I played. To go bogey-free at the Serapong course is very special. I have been trying to do that for more than 10 years,” said Lahiri, whose tied 5th at the 2015 PGA Championship is the best performance in a Major by an Indian golfer.

“Regarding the PGA Championship, I am delighted they decided to give me a spot. This validates my very tough decision to go to the International Series Vietnam when all that was going on back home.”

Lahiri does not get Official World Golf Ranking points (OWGR) for playing on the LIV Golf. But he finished second in the Asian Tour-sanctioned event in Vietnam, which pushed him back from outside the top 100. He is currently ranked 95th in the OWGR. The top 100 usually get into the field.

“I am thankful to the PGA of America that their decision was not swayed by other things going on in the world of golf. This is going to be special for me. My last Major was the PGA Championship last year. There can’t be a bigger reward in golf than playing in Majors,” the 35-year-old said.

Lahiri returns to India where he will attend the ceremony for his mother-in-law, who lost her battle to cancer on Sunday while he was mounting a brilliant charge in LIV Golf Adelaide, eventually finishing second, behind winner Gooch.

“I want to be with my kids and wife. It’s been a tough stretch for me, I just want to forget about golf for the next couple of weeks. I also have Chikka’s (Indian pro S Chikkarangappa) wedding to attend in Bengaluru.”

Gooch became the first player in the year-old LIV Golf to become a back-to-back winner. American Brooks Koepka again showed the kind of form he is enjoying – he was tied second at the Augusta Masters – as he fell one shot shy of the playoff and in solo third at 16-under par.

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