Anirban Lahiri welcomes PGA’s decision of exemption for next season
The Indian golfer was relieved after receiving confirmation on his PGA Tour status for the 2020-21 campaign.
Indian golfer Anirban Lahiri can rest easy knowing that his status on the PGA Tour has been guaranteed for the remainder of the year as well as the 2020-21 season.
“Without doubt, it is a big relief and the PGA Tour has taken the right decision keeping in mind the current conditions (COVID-19 pandemic),” Anirban Lahiri was quoted saying by the Press Trust of India.
“I think they have done a very good job of creating a system, where everybody who has exemption this year will remain exempt next year.
“They are also looking at shuffling between all those exempt players who perform well in this shortened season to get advantage next season,” added Lahiri.
The Indian golfer, who has been on the PGA Tour since 2015, has endured a dip in form and struggled to produce his best in the last 12 events that he has taken part in since the start of the ongoing season.
Currently at his parents’ house in Hyderabad due to the coronavirus-enforced lockdown in India, Anirban Lahiri’s last few events have seen him make five cuts and miss the cut seven times.
Keeping his PGA status though comes as welcome news for the Pune-born Florida native who is aiming to rediscover his form once there’s a relaxation on the lockdown restrictions in India.
Working on fundamentals
The lockdown, nevertheless, has been a ‘blessing in disguise’ for Anirban since the extended period away from competition allows him more time to address the chinks in his armour instead of looking for quick fixes.
“I don’t have a gun to my head, looking at an instant cure in between tournaments… I have a chance to get to the core of the problems,” Anirban wrote in a column in the Hindustan Times.
The 32-year-old, who was a part of India’s Olympic contingent in Rio 2016 also credited changing gear for the improvement behind his drive.
“My iron-play is a concern and putting, a traditional strength, has been inconsistent,” Anirban Lahiri reflected.
“I have been hitting a lot of destructive shots of late, but thanks to the change in equipment, the driving has improved.
“We are working on fundamentals and discovering areas we haven’t looked at earlier like yardage pitching. This was a weakness during my amateur days but is now a strength with regular practice,” he declared.
The ongoing 2019-20 season has seen 10 events cancelled and 11 events with new dates, while the PGA Championship remains the only major tournament left in the schedule.