Veteran Indian golfer Anirban Lahiri finishes second on LIV debut

Top Indian golfer Anirban Lahiri made a memorable debut on the LIV Golf Tour by finishing second after a three-way play-off in the Boston Invitational here.

Lahiri made a big dash in the closing stages and went into the play-off alongside eventual winner Dustin Johnson and Joaquin Niemann. 

It was also one of the biggest paydays for Lahiri who won USD 1,182,400 and an additional USD 375,000 as his share from the second place in the team event.

Johnson earned USD 4 million for the individual win and an additional USD 750,000 for his quarter share of the USD 3 million team prize.

It was Johnson’s first win in the rebel series but his team 4Aces won the team competition for the third time in a row.

Johnson holed a 60-foot eagle putt on the first play-off hole to beat Lahiri and Niemann, two of the six players making their debuts this week. All three players finished regulation at 15 under.

The play-off was the first in either the individual or team competition in this inaugural season.

Johnson’s final-round 5-under 65 was one of three counting scores for 4 Aces GC to go along with Patrick Reed’s 66 and Talor Gooch’s 69.

Lahiri, playing for Crushers GC, shot a 6-under 64. Lahiri had a chance to reach 16 under with a brilliant second shot into the par-5 18th hole, but his eagle putt lipped out.

“I knew I had to come in hot, both in terms of trying to contend and also for the team,” Lahiri said. “It was really nice to just buckle down on that back nine and play some golf. Really proud of the shots I hit. A little unlucky but sometimes it goes that way.”

Chilean Niemann shot 66 while playing with Johnson and Gooch in the final group. He suffered his only bogey of the round at the par-4 14th. In the playoff, his errant drive forced him to lay up, and he was unable to convert a lengthy birdie putt.

Two others fell just short in making the playoff. Lee Westwood shot the lowest round in any of the first four events with an 8-under 62 but bogeyed two of his last three holes and finished at 14 under. Smith shot 64 but also suffered a late bogey.

The total team prize money for each event is USD 5 million, with the winning team dividing USD 3 million, second place dividing USD 1.5 million and third place dividing USD 500,000.