A 'veteran' of 13 titles with his maiden triumph at home, Anirban Lahiri will not take away the glittering McLeod Russel Tour Championship Trophy to Bangalore where he is based.
Instead, Lahiri today said he would keep it at his grandparents place at Salt Lake here.
All excited to win his maiden title at the Royal Calcutta Golf Club, a place where he's been coming since he was 11, Lahiri said: "This title is all for my grandparents who are no more."
Terming this a dream home coming, Lahiri added, "Forget winning, I've not yet come close to winning here... I've been playing here since I was 11-years-old... I'm happy to have come back winning at home in the 15th year."
Lahiri remembered his grandparents who are no more and chose to dedicate the title to them.
"I remember coming here to my grandparents place in Salt Lake and coming here to play golf. This time, they are not with me so it's for him. I'm not taking the Trophy back to Bangalore. This will stay here (at my grandparents place in Salt Lake)."
Lahiri had to overcome a right knee ligament injury in August as he went on to win three titles on the PGTI Tour and one on the Asian circuit.
Terming 2013 as the best year, Lahiri, who has 13 professional titles already, said: "I feel like a veteran at 26... The 2013 season has been my most consistent season so far as I won four titles this year...
"My golf and my physical conditioning improved by leaps and bounds this year. The win today gives me a further boost for the coming season. McLeod Russel has set the benchmark in India as far as domestic events are concerned. It's a great tournament, very well organized and at par with some of the top events that I have played abroad," added Lahiri, who took home a cheque worth Rs 21,39,750.
Overnight leader by three strokes, Lahiri started poorly with a double bogey on the second but he regained his touch with birdies on the fourth, fifth, ninth, 12th, 16th and 17th to edge out Rahil Gangjee for the top spot by four strokes.
"The double-bogey early on made me focus better as it shook me up. I focussed really well thereafter and holed almost everything on the greens.
He birdied on the ninth where as Gangjee slipped with a bogey in what became the turning point in the battle between the duo for the top spot.
"The birdie on the ninth was the turning point of the day as it increased my lead from one shot to three shots since Rahil bogeyed the same hole. The birdie on the 12th was crucial as well as it helped me further expand my lead to five shots."
Gangjee said: "It looked like I would shoot a six-under when I began the round but I'm glad that I gave it my best and at least shot a three-under. Nonetheless, was great to perform well in front of my home crowd. It was an emotional moment for me as I was missing my father who passed away recently. He used to follow me when I played events at the RCGC.
