The Loop
Watch Anirban Lahiri birdie the final SEVEN holes -- only to lose in a playoff
The most exciting finish to a golf tournament this past weekend (year?) was also the strangest. It involves Anibarn Lahiri, an incredible birdie barrage, and a devastating finish. To the Asian Tour, we go!
Anirban Lahiri found himself trailing by five shots with seven holes to play at the Venetian Macao Open when something clicked. The two-time European Tour champ and the winner of the long drive contest at the 2015 PGA Championship birdied ALL of his remaining holes, including nearly pitching in for a walk-off eagle on 18, to get into a playoff.
But the sizzling streak of seven consecutive birdies came to an abrupt finish on the first hole of sudden death. After a bad drive on the par-5 18th at the Macau Golf and Country Club, Lahiri laid up and. . . found a water hazard. Ouch. The stunning turn of events gave Lahiri a runner-up in this tournament for the third time in four years and gifted Pavit Tangkamolprasert his first Asian Tour title.
“I was happy I won the toss and I wanted to go first," Lahiri told reporters after. "I think I rushed into that and I was trying to lay up on the second shot but the rough was a bit thick. I didn’t even think of the hazard being there. I guess that was unfortunate to finish like that. I’m happy with the way I played the back nine but disappointed I finished second again.”
The end of regulation recalled the 2014 Travelers Championship when Kevin Streelman birdied the final seven holes at TPC River Highlands. Of course, the big difference in that record-setting PGA Tour performance is that Streelman won. Lahiri later added this on Twitter about his unusual result:
You can watch highlights of the crazy finish here: