India’s Lahiri seeks return to form at Genesis Invitational

India’s Anirban Lahiri will be hoping to sharpen his iron play and short game as he prepares to tackle an exciting run of events on the PGA TOUR starting with this week’s star-studded Genesis Invitational, an event hosted by Tiger Woods.

The 34-year-old concedes that his form has been off the mark since the start of the year as he looks to turn his fortunes around at the historical Riviera Country Club which stages the US$12 million showpiece as one of three elevated status events on TOUR.

Each of the world’s top-10 players, led by No. 1 Jon Rahm and reigning FedExCup champion Patrick Cantlay, are in this week’s elite field. Max Homa is defending his title.

“I’ve played good in patches and had disappointing results overall, no doubt about it,” said Lahiri. “I felt I have gotten some positives to take from whatever golf I’ve played this year and it’s clear what I need to work on. I need to keep sharpening my game, putting and scrambling.

“From Riv to the stretch of events that follow, we’re going to go to golf courses which are demanding and require elite ball-striking. I’m working on my putting and iron play, and just trying to stay patient and focussed. I’ve been guilty of losing my patience in the past.”

The Indian star has made two cuts from three starts in 2022, while missing the weekend at last week’s WM Phoenix Open following rounds of 70 and 75. It has often proven to be a bane that his week is often marred by one ordinary round which is somewhat reflected by his Strokes Gained: Approach the Green and Putting stats where he ranks a lowly 208^th and 193^rd in those categories respectively.

A first trip back to par-71, 7,322 yards Riviera course in three years, which is also the host site for the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles, has given him a dose of good vibes.

“It’s fantastic to be back. Riv is by far my favourite golf course that we play on our regular schedule outside of the majors. I fell in love with this place from the first time I came here,” said Lahiri, who finished T64 and T26 in 2017 and 2018 respectively when the event was then known as the Genesis Open.

“I played well in the past and have great memories. I love old school golf courses. It’s a joy, a real pleasure and we’re in a great area and everything is so amazing with this tournament. It’s a design that has held up for a long period of time at a time when we play 7,600, 7,700 yards golf courses. When you look at the score card here, you think it’s a push over but when you get to the course, it’s a different thing. I think it’s unique with how you get the different winds from the ocean, and how the character of the golf course changes. When it gets firm in the weekend, hitting greens is like gold dust. The layout is amazing and you’ve got to stay focused. There’re no gimmies and you have to hit every club in your bag. With it being an invitational, it’s even more of an incentive for us.”

While the 2028 Olympic Games is still a long way off – Lahiri would be 41 years old by then – he is not writing himself out of the reckoning to feature one more time for his country as he knows what the Olympics does to promote the game back in India.

“2028 is a long ways away. I’ve been fortunate enough to wear the tricolour on two occasions (Rio in 2016 and Tokyo last year) and definitely Paris (2024) is a goal of mine and I’m actively looking to that,” he said.

“If I was to get an opportunity to do it over again in ‘28, it’ll be fantastic. I won’t be a spring chicken by then but if I can stay fit and healthy, who’s to say I won’t come back, and wear the orange, the saffron and green again. Golf in the Olympics has been amazing, especially for some of the minority golf nations like India.”

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