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THE 147TH OPEN

July 20, 2018

Anirban Lahiri

Angus, Scotland, United Kingdom

ANIRBAN LAHIRI: It was just 36 holes of drought really. I felt like I hit a lot of greens today, at least it felt like it. I don't know if I did or not. But I don't think I hit a single one putt. My greens in regulation, putting was over two putts a green. Yeah, those numbers don't add up. So, yeah, it's very disappointing. I've obviously been playing well. I still feel like I'm not playing badly, but I guess my game just didn't show up this week.

Q. Just one birdie?
ANIRBAN LAHIRI: Yeah, it was like a two-putt, and it wasn't like a good first putt either. I had a 25, 30-footer, and I left it four feet short and three feet left of me. I've just been clueless on these greens this week unfortunately, and that's surprising because I've been putting really well. At least back in America, I've been putting really well.

Just haven't come -- didn't get to terms with the surfaces this week. A lot of putts that I thought were good but ended up being far from them. Yeah, I think around the greens I was good. My bunker play was good. Off the tee yesterday was poor. Today was much better. I did hit the one fairway bunker on 2 that kind of put me on the back foot in my second round.

And just this is the kind of golf course where you have to try and take advantage of the first six or seven holes. There's a lot of wedges and opportunities. Quite honestly, I never did that -- it's disappointing because, again, I don't feel like my game's terrible, but it doesn't affect the score. It's disappointing. I didn't play that bad, but I just putted awful.

Q. How do you a read like this --
ANIRBAN LAHIRI: There's not much to it.

Q. -- knowing you are playing well?
ANIRBAN LAHIRI: There's not much to it. I definitely need to rest. That's what I need to do. Once I get back, probably -- I don't know if I'll get into the PGA now. I think I probably needed to finish top 30 or top 40 this week. So kind of depends now how the next few weeks play out. Probably get home and get some rest in. Probably get some rest before I tee it up at Bridgestone. Probably prepare a little better this week. I felt underprepared with everything that went on.

I know it's not an excuse, but it shouldn't happen major weeks, but it did. So I've got to deal with it and make sure it doesn't happen the next time I'm here for The Open.

Q. No change of plan? You don't play more --
ANIRBAN LAHIRI: Not really. I don't see how playing more is going to help.

Q. There's also PGA. That's next week, isn't it?
ANIRBAN LAHIRI: No, but next week is Canada. I'm not playing Canada. Yeah, I mean, but it can't be helped now. I have to back myself to do decently this week, and I should have, but I didn't. That's okay. We'll deal with it. Head back, get some rest, and try and make up for the lost weeks at Bridgestone, I guess. That's another golf course that I like. So I have to look forward and learn from what I did wrong this week.

There were a lot of errors that were avoidable.

Q. (Inaudible).
ANIRBAN LAHIRI: Well, you can't get upset. You have to -- it's obviously not ideal. It's not what you want. It's funny. You know, this morning, when I woke up, both my wife and I were like, oh, this is how we should feel on a Tuesday, but it's Friday already, and the week's already gone.

It's like the first part of the week felt like a blur, and that's, again, not a good mental state. If I describe the first three days of the week like a blur, then, obviously, I haven't absorbed much, and it showed, I think, on the greens and just in my application.

So, yeah, I think you have to just learn from -- it's hard to say because this is my sixth time renting a house, and this is the first time that we've had an issue like this. So call it bad luck, it's kind of que sera sera. I had to deal with it, but I tried my best. It wasn't the week for me.

I mean, I still feel like I want to get another go at this golf course but probably have to wait a decade or so. (Laughter).

Q. I'm sure you'll be there.
ANIRBAN LAHIRI: Hopefully. If I'm not retired by then.

Q. Much too young for that. So what's the plan now? Are you heading off tomorrow?
ANIRBAN LAHIRI: No, I'm not going to head out tomorrow for sure. We'll try and figure out the plan. I think I'll sit down with Miresh and see what we can work out. It's 7:30 right now, so we'll see. We need to sit down and take a look at our tickets. I have a couple of obligations with my sponsors, which I would like to complete and finish. So probably try to fly out on Sunday to get home Sunday night, I guess. Probably rest up a little bit to start and then get some practise in, get to Bridgstone Monday maybe and start practise on Monday.

I'm not going to change my plans. I can't enter -- well, I can technically enter Canada, but I'm not going to do it. I think playing another week isn't going to change anything because at the end of the day, I have to play well in the playoffs, keep my focus on what I need to do, and take it from there.

Q. Any word on Sharma?
ANIRBAN LAHIRI: Did he make the cut?

Q. He did.
ANIRBAN LAHIRI: I'm so happy. When I last check, he was at 5-over.

Q. Exactly.
ANIRBAN LAHIRI: Oh, I'm so glad. It shows his character obviously, you know. It's not an easy stretch down the back nine, especially 16, 17, 18. No, I'm happy for him. He's worked hard. He's had a lot of disappointment the last couple of months. I think it's a hard-fought weekend for him. Hopefully, he goes out early and does some damage. I'm happy for him.

Q. A good dinner to have.
ANIRBAN LAHIRI: That's another thing. We have to do dinner tomorrow. Might have to stay back.

Q. One more thing I wanted to ask you: You heard the news about the PGA?
ANIRBAN LAHIRI: He mentioned to me. Yeah, I'd love to know what the details are, but that's great.

Q. Five points for every tournament.
ANIRBAN LAHIRI: Every single tournament?

Q. No, 72 holes. All tournaments are 72 holes anyway.
ANIRBAN LAHIRI: But every event? Is obviously, depending on the strength of field.

Q. Minimum of five.
ANIRBAN LAHIRI: That's huge. It's unbelievable what that's going to do. We're suddenly going to have another 20 guys in the top 300, I think.

Q. Exactly.
ANIRBAN LAHIRI: It's going to be a huge thing. I think it's going to -- it's very, very good for the PGTI because now they have a huge value to add to their events as far as sponsors are concerned. Even in terms of players. I guess they have to open up the door completely now.

Q. They've done that.
ANIRBAN LAHIRI: Yeah. So, I mean, that's fantastic because you'll see better quality players. I think they'll also have to pull up their game a little bit with the quality of courses and the way they run the event. But that's a huge, huge -- that's a huge help. I think that's something that Indian golf needed. I think the PGA TOUR has done well to earn that honour, but now it's time we made the PGTI, the tour it can be now with the fact we have ranking points. That's fabulous news. Really, really happy.

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