![\"anirban](\"images\/golf\/anirban%20lahiri.jpg\")
Kuala Lumpur: Man-of-the-moment Anirban Lahiri is setting his sights on a first Asian Tour victory outside of India after successfully defending his title at the SAIL-SBI Open Presented by Incredible India, Ministry of Tourism on Saturday.<\/p>\nKuala Lumpur: Man-of-the-moment Anirban Lahiri is setting his sights on a first Asian Tour victory outside of India after successfully defending his title at the SAIL-SBI Open Presented by Incredible India, Ministry of Tourism on Saturday.<\/p>\n
The Indian rising star clinched his third Asian Tour title after defeating countryman Rashid Khan on the first play-off hole at US$300,000 Asian Tour event at the Delhi Golf Club and immediately set a new target in his burgeoning career.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere\u2019s a need to win always and to get better. There\u2019s a need to perform on every surface on every tour and on every condition. A lot of people ask me questions if I can play abroad and yes I feel I can win abroad as well.\n<\/p>\n
\u201cIt is just a matter of the 72 holes coming together and having some luck as well. I\u2019m hoping to win outside of India this year but I won\u2019t mind if I win in India again,\u201d said Lahiri, who has now won all his three titles at the Delhi Golf Club.<\/p>\n
With his confidence soaring, Lahiri will be amongst the hot favourites to contend at this week\u2019s Avantha Masters, which is tri-sanctioned by the Asian Tour, European Tour and Professional Golf Tour of India (PGTI), at the Jaypee Greens course.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe Indian leg is now turning out to be crucial as it\u2019s early in the year. If you get off to a good start, you can be like Prom (Meesawat) last year where he had a great season finishing up. It\u2019s important to get off to a good start in the Indian swing. I\u2019m looking forward to playing well as Jaypee Greens is one of my favourite courses,\u201d said the 25-year-old.<\/p>\n
Lahiri will not take his victory for granted and is determined to keep his feet firmly grounded as he aims for more glory on the 2013 Asian Tour season.<\/p>\n
\u201cI need to sit down with my parents and friends and they can abuse me and keep me grounded. I have to be thankful how things have worked out for me. Any win for me is a gift. I\u2019m just grateful that it has happened to me.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s back to the grind for me. My focus is to play well in the bigger events and try to break through. I\u2019m going to be focused on that.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere was a phase where I couldn\u2019t close out tournaments and there was a phase where I could close out tournaments. I finished second a few times last year. I guess it comes and goes. If I can keep doing what I need to do with my mind and my game, the results will come,\u201d said Lahiri.<\/p>\n
Lahiri\u2019s successful title defence gave him a huge boost on the Asian Tour Order of Merit where he moved to second position with winnings of US$54,000, approximately US$800 behind the leader Chawalit Plaphol of Thailand, who won the season-opening Zaykabar Myanmar Open.<\/p>\n
Mithun Perera, the first Sri Lankan to earn a full Asian Tour card, is in third position on US$35,250 while Khan moved to fourth with US$33,000 courtesy of his second place result at the SAIL-SBI Open.<\/p>\n
Siddikur (US$20,587) of Bangladesh, Thai rising star Kiradech Aphibarnrat (US$18,900) and Shiv Kapur (US$15,000) of India occupy fifth, sixth and seventh positions respectively on the Order of Merit.<\/p>\n
The Asian Tour, which is celebrating its 10th season this year, will remain in India for the \u20ac1.8 million (approximately US$2.3 million) Avantha Masters this week.<\/p>\n
Asian Tour Order of Merit \u2013 Top-20<\/p>\n
Pos Player Earnings (US$)<\/p>\n
1. Chawalit PLAPHOL (THA) 54,825<\/p>\n
2. Anirban LAHIRI (IND) 54,000<\/p>\n
3. Mithun PERERA (SRI) 35,250<\/p>\n
4. Rashid KHAN (IND) 33,000<\/p>\n
5. SIDDIKUR (BAN) 20,587.5<\/p>\n
6. Kiradech APHIBARNRAT (THA) 18,900<\/p>\n
7. Shiv KAPUR (IND) 15,000<\/p>\n
8. Darren BECK (AUS) 12,430<\/p>\n
8. HWANG In-choon (KOR) 12,430<\/p>\n
8. Angelo QUE (PHI) 12,430<\/p>\n
11. Chapchai NIRAT (THA) 11,780<\/p>\n
12. Matthew STIEGER (AUS) 11,145<\/p>\n
12. Pawin INGKHAPRADIT (THA) 11,145<\/p>\n
14. Namchok TANTIPOKHAKUL (THA) 9,753.33<\/p>\n
15. Rahil GANGJEE (IND) 9,392.5<\/p>\n
16. Antonio LASCUNA (PHI) 8,817.5<\/p>\n
17. BAEK Seuk-hyun (KOR) 8,107.5<\/p>\n
18. Chan KIM (USA) 7,703.33<\/p>\n
19. Lionel WEBER (FRA) 7,440<\/p>\n
19. Quincy QUEK (SIN) 7,440<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Kuala Lumpur: Man-of-the-moment Anirban Lahiri is setting his sights on a first Asian Tour victory outside of India after successfully defending his title at the SAIL-SBI Open Presented by Incredible India, Ministry of Tourism on Saturday.<\/p>\n
The Indian rising star clinched his third Asian Tour title after defeating countryman Rashid Khan on the first play-off hole at US$300,000 Asian Tour event at the Delhi Golf Club and immediately set a new target in his burgeoning career.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere\u2019s a need to win always and to get better. There\u2019s a need to perform on every surface on every tour and on every condition. A lot of people ask me questions if I can play abroad and yes I feel I can win abroad as well.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":true,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"tdm_status":"","tdm_grid_status":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[9],"tags":[1065,158,6293,1676,1203],"class_list":["post-14162","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","category-golf-golf","tag-anirban-lahiri","tag-asian-tour","tag-indian-sports-news-network","tag-mithun-perera","tag-sail-sbi-open"],"yoast_head":"\n