Lahiri eyes first overseas title at Hong Kong Golf

Hong Kong - India’s Anirban Lahiri is hoping to take advantage of his familiarity with the Hong Kong Golf Club to win his first title outside India at the $1.3 million dollar Hong Kong Open golf next week.

The 26-year-old believes the course at the Hong Kong Golf Club suits his playing style and has similar characteristics to his home venue where he has won twice, reports Xinhua.

“There are a few tracks which are similar in character to the Delhi Golf Club and the Hong Kong Golf Club is another course which is similar to that. It’s a really good course which has withstood the test of time,” said Lahiri.

“It’s a great track and another one of those classic tracks with lots of trees, small and elevated greens. You’ll need to control your shots from off the tees and you’ve got to come in from the right spots and right angles,” added Lahiri.

Lahiri, a three-time Asian Tour winner, will be rated as one of the genuine contenders at Hong Kong’s oldest professional sporting event, having enjoyed a fantastic run of results since the beginning of the year.

The Indian started the year on a winning note by sealing his third Asian Tour title on home soil and followed that up with four top-10s which included three runner-up finishes.

He will now make another attempt at getting his first win abroad at the Hong Kong showpiece which takes place from Dec 5-8.

“I do look forward to going to Hong Kong and the weather will also be good during that time of the year. I’m just trying to win the next event that I can, wherever it is. I’m sure I will. I just have to stay patient. I have done something right this year, winning once and finished second three times,” said Lahiri.

“I need to keep going and stay patient. I’ve had some decent finishes in Hong Kong, some good rounds and some mediocre rounds, so it’ll be a good opportunity to get things right,” said the Indian, who finished tied 55th in the 2011 edition.

The Hong Kong Open is the third event of The 2014 Race to Dubai, and one of the last on the 2013 Asian Tour schedule.

Defending champion Miguel Angel Jimenez of Spain will defend the title he won in record-breaking fashion 12 months ago when he became the oldest winner in European Tour history at the age of 48 years and 318 days.

Other likely contenders at the Hong Kong Open include China’s Liang Wenchong and teen prodigy Guan Tianlang, Bangladesh’s Siddikur Rahman and Australia’s Scott Hend who has already recorded the most number of wins with three victories on the region’s premier Tour this season.