LIV GOLF ANDALUCíA

July 13, 2024

Anirban Lahiri

Real Club Valderrama

Crushers GC

Press Conference

THE MODERATOR: 5-under today, currently sitting at 7-under, four shots ahead of the person behind you. Tell us about your round and where this magical 5-under came from.

ANIRBAN LAHIRI: I mean, I made a lot of putts. Holed a chip. You had to do all of that to shoot five (under). So I'm really happy that I was in a good zone, pretty calm. Had a few lipouts, a few missed chances early. Just kind of stayed in the round. Stayed in the shot. Stayed in the present. Really happy obviously, yeah.

THE MODERATOR: You have a pretty healthy lead going into tomorrow. Are you feeling confident, the way that this golf course plays?

ANIRBAN LAHIRI: It doesn't really matter on this golf course. You have to go out and every day you have to battle it out. You have to have a good attitude. You're going to get some bad breaks. Every time you get an opportunity, you have to try and convert it.

It's about patience. I had a lot of putts go in today. They may not tomorrow but I'll still stay patient and have the same attitude.

It is a difficult golf course to catch up. So for me, you know, as long as I can keep it in the fairways and greens, which is much easier said than done here, that's obviously going to be my goal, yeah.

THE MODERATOR: I know last year you got close so many times. You kind of reflected on, what do I need to do to get the job done to close it out. What did you learn and what are you taking with you tomorrow?

ANIRBAN LAHIRI: Well, all these experiences help. It helped me today, as well, because even when I was ahead, I wasn't really thinking about it. Just this golf course is perfect, actually, because you have no time to get ahead of yourself. Every shot is life-and-death almost.

You know, the margins are so small. You have to stay so focused, even if it's a 2-footer, it lips out, it goes off the green.

You have to just stay in the present, in the moment and focus on what you need to do. So I think it sets up really well for me given where I am to just continue to do that, and maybe look up on the 17th and see what I need to do.

Honestly, I just need to go out there and play golf.

THE MODERATOR: Last one from me.

Knowing how difficult this golf course is and knowing how well you're playing, how special would a win specifically at Valderrama mean for you and the confidence it gives new your game?

ANIRBAN LAHIRI: I have a lot of confidence. There's not doubt about that.

The win would mean a lot. I've been chasing it for a while.

Yeah, this golf course reminds me a lot of Delhi Golf Club where I've had a lot of success. It's penal off the tee, and you have to manage yourself. The mentality is very similar, and I think that helps me because I won a bunch of times there and it was the same thing on Sunday.

You just go out there, put it in play, find the green, hit a putt, walk away and you do it 18 times.

Q. Just talking about Valderrama, how much experience have you had at this course?

ANIRBAN LAHIRI: I've had five tournament rounds. So last year was my first year.

Q. And then I wanted to ask you, you're talking about the putting. I wanted to ask you about 11 and 12.

ANIRBAN LAHIRI: Yeah.

Q. Is that reflective of how your putting bailed you out?

ANIRBAN LAHIRI: It bailed me out big time today. Didn't help to chip like a 15 handicap. Valderrama makes you look like that. It's so hard to chip out here, whether you're on the fairways or the roughs. It takes a lot of skill. In fact, I need to go and hit some chips now.

You know, like I said earlier, you're going to hit some shots that you're going to feel sheepish about, almost, embarrassed, how you hit that shot. This golf course does that to you, but you have to leave it behind and say, How do I hit this putt next.

And like I said, that's all I tried to do. If it misses and goes, two, three, six inches, two feet, I tap it in, accept the fact that I made a mistake, make a bogey and walk away.

That's basically the attitude with which I'm playing. Just accept whatever comes, do your best and move on. Like I said, it fits this golf course really well.

Q. A 66 here, is that like a 63 at a regular course?

ANIRBAN LAHIRI: I don't know. If I shot 66 yesterday, I would have felt like Superman, absolutely, and I know Deano did. He does hit it like Superman times.

I think anything in the 60s here is in a good round, especially in tournament conditions when the greens get firm and fast like they are, even if you don't have a breath of wind, if you shoot something in the 60s you should be pretty damned proud.

I'm very happy, as I said. Great day of golf for me but I'm waiting to go see my family and come back and do it again tomorrow.