"No point in speculating" – Anirban Lahiri on LIV Golf hampering Paris Olympics qualification

Anirban Lahiri has said that several of the world’s top-ranked golfers will miss out on a berth in the Paris Olympics due to the restrictions on the Saudi-funded LIV Golf tournament. The Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR) does not recognize the tournament and hence players do not get ranking points.

Lahiri is currently racing against time to break into the top 60 and book a ticket to Paris. The 36-year-old Lahiri, who won the Arjuna award back in 2014, said that if players do not qualify for the Olympics, it would be a wake-up call for the world of golf.

“There’s no point in speculating on what ifs. The reality of the situation is what it is. And within that framework, you have to find a way to qualify,” Anirban Lahiri told the reporters.

“You know, it might be a situation where a lot of really good golfers are going to be in the top 10, who could be playing for their countries, don’t make it to Paris,” he said.

“And maybe that’s what’s needed for the world to wake up and say we need to do something. You know, there’s many ways to look at it,” Lahiri added.

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Anirban Lahiri back in the Indian Open

The Indian golfer will be back to the Indian Open, a tournament that has a prize money of ₹2.25 US dollars this year. He will be back in the championship after a gap of five years. The Indian Open will take place from March 28 to 31 at the DLF Golf and Country Club in Gurugram.

Overall, 144 players will be taking part in the championship out of which 33 are Indians. Lahiri won the Indian Open 2015 and said that his triumph nine years ago was one of his “most cherished memories”.

The Indian Open has returned for the first time after three years since the COVID-19 pandemic.

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