![\"Anirban-Lahiri-isn-featured\"](\"images\/golf\/Anirban-Lahiri-isn-featured.jpg\")
Kuala Lumpur: Indian star Anirban Lahiri believes he will arrive for his second Open Championship appearance next week as a much more accomplished golfer than he was before at his major debut two years ago.<\/p>\nKuala Lumpur: Indian star Anirban Lahiri believes he will arrive for his second Open Championship appearance next week as a much more accomplished golfer than he was before at his major debut two years ago.<\/p>\n
The current Asian Tour number one earned a starting place at Royal Liverpool as one of 10 non-exempt players from the Official World Golf Ranking last week.<\/p>\n
News of his late entry into the Open Championship caught him by complete surprise as he was still on his honeymoon in Madagascar.<\/p>\n
After making hurried plans to get home which took some 36 hours of travel door to door, the 27-year-old has since kept himself busy by trying to get his game back into groove with his coach Vijay Divecha.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ve been practising hard over the last three days which is good …. just trying to get back into the groove,\u201d said Lahiri, who finished tied 31st at Royal Lytham and St Annes in 2012.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt was a great surprise that I\u2019ve got into my second Open next week. I thought the qualifying cut off was sometime in May and when I checked the Open website, they only had the regular categories available and I assumed I had missed the chance as I wasn\u2019t in the field for any of the qualifying events.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat was why I had scheduled to get some time off. My wife has taken it well although her honeymoon is truncated but she understands the situation, being the wife of a professional golfer. She\u2019s been very supportive and I promised to take her back to Madagascar.\u201d<\/p>\n
Under the watchful eyes of coach Divecha, Lahiri has been working hard on pulling off the shots required for links golf but knows he must possess a strong state of mind ahead of his Major quest.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m looking forward to a new course and a new challenge. In the two years since my first Open appearance, I believe I have progressed as a player and I feel I am going back to the Open as a more rounded player than the last time. I\u2019m looking forward to put my best foot forward,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019ve been working on reducing the spin rate on the ball and hitting low shots. I\u2019m trying to get the rhythm and tempo going again and also working on the mental aspect. I want to play next week in a relaxed approach as life has been hectic with the wedding (in late May) and there\u2019s been a lot of things in the head like getting the visas, accommodation and airline bookings done. I am trying to get it all out of the head now and focus on playing my best.\u201d<\/p>\n
A return to the world\u2019s oldest championship is the just reward for Lahiri, who is enjoying a great run in 2014. He has shot to the top of the Asian Tour\u2019s Order of Merit with one victory and three other top-10s and also played a big role in Asia\u2019s memorable draw with Europe in the inaugural EurAsia Cup presented by DRB-HICOM in Malaysia where he contributed two points.<\/p>\n
At 85th in the world rankings, Lahiri is determined to break into the top-50 which will give him access into the World Golf Championships and Majors.<\/p>\n
\u201cThese things motivate me,\u201d he said. \u201cThe Asian Tour Order of Merit is one of the few goals that I have for this season and I\u2019ve put myself in a good position. It\u2019s still a long season ahead,\u201d said Lahiri.<\/p>\n
\u201cI want to push and see how far I can go. The sky is the limit. I don\u2019t know where I want to get to, I just want to go forward. Everybody\u2019s ultimate goal is to win a Major or more than one. I just need to get into more Majors for now and then hopefully have a chance to win. It\u2019s a step by step process.\u201d<\/p>\n
Other Asian Tour members competing in The Open Championship next week include three-time Asian Tour Order of Merit champion Thongchai Jaidee of Thailand, reigning number one Kiradech Aphibarnrat of Thailand, Asian Tour Honorary Members K.J. Choi, Y.E. Yang and Ernie Els and England\u2019s Chris Rodgers.<\/p>\n
Japan\u2019s Masanori Kobayashi, Yoshinobu Tsukada, Koumei Oda, Korea\u2019s Kim Hyung-sung and 2011 Order of Merit champion Juvic Pagunsan will also be in the elite field next week.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Kuala Lumpur: Indian star Anirban Lahiri believes he will arrive for his second Open Championship appearance next week as a much more accomplished golfer than he was before at his major debut two years ago.<\/p>\n
The current Asian Tour number one earned a starting place at Royal Liverpool as one of 10 non-exempt players from the Official World Golf Ranking last week.<\/p>\n
News of his late entry into the Open Championship caught him by complete surprise as he was still on his honeymoon in Madagascar.<\/p>\n
After making hurried plans to get home which took some 36 hours of travel door to door, the 27-year-old has since kept himself busy by trying to get his game back into groove with his coach Vijay Divecha.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ve been practising hard over the last three days which is good …. just trying to get back into the groove,\u201d said Lahiri, who finished tied 31st at Royal Lytham and St Annes in 2012.<\/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":[49],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-19705","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","category-featured-news"],"yoast_head":"\n