Anirban Lahiri insists it is time for him to take the next step and put in a strong showing when he makes his WGC-Cadillac Championship debut on Trump National Doral’s notorious Blue Monster this week.
Lahiri was named The European Tour’s Golfer of the Month for February after winning the Maybank Malaysian Open and Hero Indian Open last month, having only come through Qualifying School three months earlier.
Now the Indian, whose only previous World Golf Championships appearance came at the HSBC Champions last year, is hoping to match defending champion Patrick Reed and win at the first attempt at the famous Florida venue.
“It is exciting - this is my first time here, and it's been fabulous; it's been fantastic,” said Lahiri, who has climbed to 35th in the Official World Golf Ranking on the back of his recent successes.
“I got here on Saturday night and it's only gotten better since then, so I'm really looking forward to tomorrow.
“I just have to go out there and play the way I've been playing. At the end of the day, whether I play well in Asia or Europe or here, you're still trying to do the same thing. Take the least number of shots, put the ball in the hole and I just need to do that.
“It's a big ask [to win] and I think it's fabulous for Patrick. It just goes to show, it's possible and it's doable. Why not?”
Having held off Bernd Wiesberger by a single shot in Malaysia, Lahiri proved his debut victory was no fluke when he came from behind to snatch a second title on home soil, beating compatriot S S P Chawrasia in a play-off just a fortnight later.
The 27 year old added: “It's been a good whirlwind - everybody hopes for whirlwinds like that; it's been fantastic.”
“I've always believed that I can win, and win in big events and I'm glad that it happened. It made that belief a reality, and that helps my confidence coming into weeks like this. It's time for me to take the next step and prove that I can compete, contend and maybe even win in events like this.
“I'm just taking it one step at a time. I think when you have a period of golf like I have recently, it's very easy to get ahead of yourself and start projecting into the future.
“That's one of things that I've improved upon over the last few years - I've matured.”
