Lahiri keen to set sail at DGC

Golf, for Anirban Lahiri, is "a matter of learning and gaining experience". Spending 15 weeks on tour between August and December made him realise that a balance between mind and body was critical.

"If one is mentally strong, the head can sustain the body for a while but the travelling catches up eventually," said Lahiri.Competing on the domestic tour or the race against time to secure his Asian Tour card, living out of the suitcase left the 23-year-old alive to the need to "get both levels (of mind and body) up and ensuring they stay consistent". Thus, started an endeavour, and since January, Lahiri has been spotted at the gymnasium more than ever before in his career.

It is not "senseless pumping of weights"; instead, the facilities at the Touché Golf School, Bangalore, are being used to arrive at the equilibrium Lahiri is striving for.

The results have been mixed but he is willing to persevere. Coming off from the title triumph in the PGTI Players Championship at the Tollygunge Club in early February, Lahiri missed the cut in the tri-sanctioned Avantha Masters at the DLF Golf & Country Club the ensuing week.

It was back to the drawing board and the past month has been spent "hitting a lot of balls" and training with emphasis on strengthening the back and legs. The regimen varies but coming into the SAIL Open, Lahiri, as per schedule, underwent some heavy workout over the weekend.

Apart from the punishing regimen, Lahiri also spent time at the Delhi Golf Club to get a feel of it on the eve of the $300,000 Asian Tour event.

"The course was firmer but is softer now and set up for scoring, going by DGC standards. Also, the greens are true and rolling," he said.